Melbourne Metro has a vision whilst building Victoria’s biggest infrastructure project:

to get everyone home safe and healthy every day, including our workers, our passengers and most all, the public who will be moving around our sites and vehicles

To do this a key focuses is how construction traffic will move around the CBD, and in particular the risks of interaction between trucks and vulnerable road users. Imagine the risk, 1 truck and trailer (dog) added to the Melbourne CBD every minute of every day for over five years once they commence construction.

To help Melbourne Metro work on reducing these risks, they would like to hear stories from truck drivers and vulnerable users. They are seeking input from truck drivers on their stories regarding crashes or near misses with vulnerable users.

Who are vulnerable users in this survey?

A cyclist or pedestrian

Why share stories?

Melbourne Metro is seeking these stories from multiple groups to gain a better understanding of what works well, and what doesn’t work so well when vulnerable road users and trucks share the road.

How will these stories assist?

Melbourne Metro will be taking your stories, and the other information from this survey, and using it in workshops with representatives of these groups – both vulnerable road users and truck drivers. These workshops will explore the key factors and behaviours which contribute to accidents and near misses, and what strategies we can use to help people choose “more safe” behaviours.

Is Melbourne Metro seeking just Victorian stories?

Stories are not limited to just Victoria but to any truck driver in Australia. Experiences are transferable and just because one occurs elsewhere in Australia does not mean it has not or won’t occur in Victoria. Sharing these stories may ultimately help ensure it is not repeated because all parties are aware of it and solutions can be found together to ensure they do not repeat.

Who else has been approached?

Cyclists and pedestrians have had their say and now it is a chance for truck drivers to have theirs.

How can truck driver’s provide comment?

Truck drivers can either complete the survey below, scan and email it to the address listed in the survey. [email protected]

Or use the online survey: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3474493/5ca4d9266dfc

I have some further queries?

Should you have any further questions please email [email protected] or contact Jamie at MMRA on 0438 017 715

The Survey Template:

Think of a time when you or someone else was involved in a collision with a bicycle or pedestrian, or a situation that was very nearly a collision (i.e. someone got hit, or it was a “near miss”). Use the space below to describe the situation. Please describe it as if you were telling a story:

  • What was the situation? (where, when, weather conditions, what were the circumstances)
  • What were the behaviours of the cyclist, pedestrian and/or driver that were involved?
  • What did the person do or fail to do?
  • What was influencing them to choose a “less safe” behaviour?
  • What were they thinking? What was influencing them at the time?
  • What impact did it have?

Please mark any of the following which were applicable to your story:

Now, think of a time when a close call or near miss was AVOIDED between you or someone else and a bicycle/pedestrian. Use the space below to describe the situation. Again, please describe the situation as if you were telling a story:

  • What was the situation? (where, when, weather conditions, what were the circumstances)
  • What were the behaviours or actions people took that helped avoid an accident?
  • What was the “less safe” behaviour that was corrected, changed or avoided?
  • Did someone do something to make the situation safer?
  • What influenced them to take action?

What one or two behaviours do you see from cyclists or pedestrians that make things safer?

What one or two behaviours do you see from cyclists or pedestrians that make things less safe?

What one or two behaviours do you see from truck drivers that make things safer?

What one or two behaviours do you see from truck drivers that make things less safe?

Your responses and stories will be de-identified before they are disclosed to safety working groups representing both vulnerable road users and truck drivers, in order for those groups to identify trends in the key behaviours involved, and to develop influence and engagement strategies to help improve these behaviours. However, do we have permission to share your stories (we will remove any identifying information) to help illustrate issues around safety and help educate others to a wider audience including the trucking and construction industry and vulnerable road user groups?

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