Wide Load Safety is so important if you are travelling anywhere in the regional areas of Australia.
It won’t be to long before you come across a wide load under escort somewhere during your travels. These can sometimes be tricky to navigate around as some off them can take up the whole road.
Brenden is a truck driver and has seen some big stuff out there – mainly mining equipment but he did have to give way to a plane on the back of a semi once.
Most recently he came across this monster load. A piece of mining equipment with three semi trailers pulling it and two semi trailers pushing it. It was 7.5 metres wide and stopped on the road with a blown tyre. He was diverted around it through a roadside parking bay.
WIDE LOAD SAFETY
If you do come across a wide load under escort these tips will help you navigate around it safely.
- Tune your UHF radio (if you have one and I would suggest that you should) to Channel 40. This is the main channel that most trucks run off and it will give you advance warning of a wide load ahead.
- The escort vehicles are always on the radio letting you know the width of the load and when it’s safe for you to go around.
- Many wide loads require a Police escort. Watch out for the them and follow all directions that they give you.
- As soon as you see a wide load, reduce your speed and prepare to stop if required.
- You may need to take a detour or pass the load on the edge of the highway.
- You can also help notify on coming traffic that there is a wide load in front of them so as they are prepared as well.
Follow these few simple rules and you should have no problems.
UPDATE:
We recently encountered these huge loads in New South Wales.
Listen in to their podcast episode https://allaroundoz.com.au/podcasts/travelling-and-working-around-australia/
