NHVR releases 2022 Safety Survey report

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released the results of its 2022 Heavy Vehicle Industry Safety Survey. This safety report gives operators a clear benchmark of where compliance standards currently sit across the sector.

The vehicle industry safety survey drew nearly 6000 respondents and revealed that almost two-thirds (65%) of businesses have a basic Safety Management System (SMS) in place.

Survey Findings Highlight Growing Safety Maturity

NHVR Chief Regulatory, Policy and Standards Officer David Hourigan said the national regulator will use survey data to implement safer work practices across the heavy vehicle industry.

"This is the third iteration of the survey, and to have almost 6,000 industry participants is very encouraging as it demonstrates the importance industry places on improving safety," Mr Hourigan said.

Key Areas of Improvement Since 2020

Mr Hourigan noted the biennial survey results show safety within the heavy vehicle industry has improved since 2020, particularly regarding SMS adoption and compliance awareness.

• Nearly two-thirds of businesses now maintain a basic SMS
• Almost 6000 respondents participated in this iteration
• Results build on trends observed in prior surveys since 2018

Operators seeking to strengthen their own safety management approach can review related guidance, such as safety software solutions designed to support ongoing compliance tracking, or explore an electrical safety policy template relevant to vehicle maintenance yards.

For organisations managing broader compliance obligations, comparing this heavy vehicle industry safety survey against other regulatory publications — including the NSW Resources Regulator's quarterly safety report — offers useful context on how different sectors approach vehicle standards and enforcement priorities.

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