NHVR commences cross-border initiative to address heavy vehicle safety issues on the Eyre Highway

May 9th 2025 | Stephen Kariahe

NHVR commences cross-border initiative to address heavy vehicle safety issues on the Eyre Highway

NHVR Commences Cross-Border Initiative to Address Heavy Vehicle Safety Issues on the Eyre Highway

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has launched a targeted operation to strengthen safety outcomes for heavy vehicle transport along Australia's longest stretch of roadway. Operation Compass spans from Port Augusta in South Australia to the Western Australian border, addressing a cross-border corridor where road trauma has remained persistently high.

NHVR Director Southern Region Paul Simionato said operation is designed to play a key role in the essential task of decreasing road trauma on the Eyre Highway, which has witnessed an excessive number of serious and fatal collisions in recent years.

"From January to March this year, we've sadly seen 11 lives lost in crashes involving a heavy vehicle across South Australia and Western Australia," Mr Simionato said.

"The Eyre Highway in particular has been the scene of some tragic crashes in the past few years, with a fatal incident between a truck and a car occurring only last month.

"Through this operation, we're aiming to identify unsafe practices and ensure heavy vehicle drivers and operators are held accountable in their role of keeping our roads safe."

Why Heavy Vehicle Safety on the Eyre Highway Matters

Long-haul freight routes like the Eyre Highway carry significant volumes of national transport traffic, connecting South Australia with Western Australia. Operators moving goods across this corridor face unique fatigue and vehicle standards challenges given the distances involved and limited service infrastructure along the route.

For businesses operating within the road transport industry, cross-border compliance activities such as Operation Compass highlight the ongoing need for robust safety management systems. Fleet operators should review their internal vehicle safety management practices to ensure alignment with regulatory expectations before entering high-risk corridors.

What Operation Compass Means for Transport Operators

Heavy vehicle operators travelling through this region should anticipate increased scrutiny of:

Driver fatigue management records and rest break compliance
Vehicle standards, including maintenance and roadworthiness checks
Load restraint and mass management practices
Chain of Responsibility obligations across the supply chain

Businesses within the freight and transport industry are encouraged to ensure documentation, including fatigue logs and maintenance records, remains current and readily accessible for inspection. Operators who fail to demonstrate sound management practices risk penalties, vehicle defect notices, or removal from service.

Strengthening Safety Management Across the Industry

Operation Compass forms part of a broader push by the NHVR to lift safety management standards across the heavy vehicle industry nationally. This follows previous initiatives targeting fatigue-related risks within the trucking industry, reflecting a consistent regulatory focus on reducing preventable harm.

Effective safety management within transport industry operations relies on clear systems for tracking driver hours, vehicle condition, and Chain of Responsibility accountability. Organisations seeking to strengthen their compliance framework may benefit from reviewing our Chain of Responsibility (CoR) Module, which supports management of obligations across the supply chain.

For operators managing on-road maintenance tasks, having documented procedures such as a Tyre Changing Heavy Vehicles SWMS can support safer roadside work practices, particularly along remote sections of highway where response times for assistance are extended.

Supporting Documentation for Transport Businesses

Robust safety management documentation remains central to demonstrating compliance during roadside inspections. A well-structured Job Safety Analysis (JSA) template can help transport businesses identify and control risks associated with heavy vehicle operations, loading procedures, and roadside repairs.

Companies looking to digitise their safety management processes should also explore available safety software solutions, which streamline record-keeping and support faster access to compliance documentation during regulatory checks.

NHVR commences cross-border initiative to address heavy vehicle safety issues on the Eyre Highway