SARTA Supports New Owner Alert System

South Australian authorities have implemented new provisions that allow police to inform the owners or operators of trucks about serious offences committed by drivers.

[Tweet “SA police now allowed to inform the truck operators of serious offences committed by drivers.”]

The provision has been welcomed  by The South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA).

The new alert system will now give the state’s police power to inform the owners or operators of trucks about serious offences committed by their drivers such as dangerous and/or drug driving.

On behalf of SARTA, Executive Director Steve Shearer backed the new provision,

“These new provisions overcome the Privacy barrier which has prevented police from informing the owner of a truck that one of their drivers has been detected committing a serious offence in the truck; such as being found with drugs or driving dangerously,” said Steve Shearer, Executive Director of SARTA. 

Source: http://www.primemovermag.com.au

Mr Shearer explained that while privacy was crucial, road safety is even more important. He said that most truck drivers do the right thing but privacy interests are not the priority, safety is. He went on to explain:

“We respect the privacy laws as much as anybody, but the simple fact is that the safety of all road users, including the vast majority of truck drivers who are safe and responsible, must come before the privacy interests of a truck driver using drugs on the job.”

Source: http://www.primemovermag.com.au

[Tweet “Mr Shearer explained that while privacy was crucial, road safety is even more important.”]

Last week the new system was officially rolled out in the state, 12 years after SARTA started advocating for it. Mr Shearer went on to explain:

“SA Minister for Transport, Stephen Mullighan, understood the importance of this when we discussed it with him soon after he took office and he has worked with us over the past year to resolve the issues and ensure that this is finally fixed, 12 years after we started pushing for it,”

Source: http://www.primemovermag.com.au

Shearer explained that before the new system was implemented police were not allowed to inform owners of the truck about serious breaches committed by drivers.

He highlighted that only a small percentage of drivers engaged in dangerous driving behaviour, but that because the owners/operators weren’t informed of drivers’ bad behaviour, they weren’t able to correct it and manage it better. Most drivers wouldn’t voluntarily report their offences (like drug driving) to their employers, which is why this new law is such as major development in road safety.

Mr Shearer explained:

“There will be those who oppose this and who will be highly critical of us for making this happen, but we are far more concerned about the safety of the 95 plus percent of truck drivers who are safe and responsible, as well as the safety of all other road users.” 

Read more: http://www.primemovermag.com.au