58 – Heavy Vehicle Toolbox Talks: Safe Following Distances

Ensure to maintain a safe following distance between you and the vehicle in front.

Due to their mass and size, heavy vehicles require greater stopping distances, making the distance between them and the vehicle in front critical for the safety of all road users. According to the NTARC 2024 report, 9.1% of truck-related incidents resulting in more than $50,000 in damages in 2023 were attributed to inadequate following distance.

This package contains:

  • A generic overview of Toolbox Talk Discussion and how it can be applied to work driving safety, including a step by step process to assist team leaders/managers and facilitators to lead a Toolbox Talk discussion.

  • Aid for the promotion of discussion

  • Topic background information and fact sheets

  • Discussion prompt sheet

  • Participant attendance record sheet

  • Participant self-assessment sheet

  • Discussion review sheet

  • Following Distances posters

  • Supporting PowerPoint Slides

  • Following Distances video Link (access video here or contact NRSPP to download)

Author Acknowledgement

This Toolbox Talk has been developed in collaboration with Jerome Carslake (NRSPP), Jennifer Rivera-Gonzalez (MUARC), Safiye Keskin (NRSPP Swinburne Intern 2024/25), Christine Vong (NRSPP Swinburne Intern 2024/25),  Tim Roberts (FleetStrategy).

Toolbox Talks Branding, marketing and promotional videos were completed by the Swinburne Design Bureau: Alex Tyers (Communication Design Lecturer Swinburne and Director of Design Bureau), Charles Boyle-Bryant (Design), Charlotte Carita (videos and editing).

Toolbox Talks Steering Group includes: James Zarb (Viva Energy), Craig Beikoff (BINGO Industries), Jim Sarkis (BINGO Industries), Mark Noble (Holcim), Daniel Brain (Toll Group), Adam Ritzinger (Toll Group), Peter Johansson (Zurich), Steve Power (Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia), Mike Mulligan (Qube).

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