Heavy vehicles on the South Eastern Freeway

Long Weekend · Guru

Heavy(?) Vehicles in SA.

BruDi · Senior Member

A Ford Ranger is a ute. Ford is American and all ute's are called trucks by them. There are also something like 100+ legal challenges happening by drivers caught doing too great a speed. I must admit we have seen a lot of trucks exceeding the 60 km/hour speed limit in the past when the speed cameras etc were somewhat ineffective. Apparently don't pay the fine and challenge.

https://mylicence.sa.gov.au/my-heavy-vehicle-licence/low_gear_signs

https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/heavy-vehicles/heavy-vehicles-on-the-south-eastern-freeway

Di

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

A heavy vehicle is one that has a GVM of 4.5T or higher.
This definition applies Australia wide.
Cheers,
Peter

Baz421 · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
A heavy vehicle is one that has a GVM of 4.5T or higher.
This definition applies Australia wide.
Cheers,
Peter

Correct Peter has never changed since ADR's came in.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

And it does not matter what it actually weighs at the time or what it is called on the registration papers either. The OKA is called a "Caravan vehicle" on the rego papers, but it is over 4.5T GVM, so all the rules for trucks/heavy vehicles apply.
Anyone who drives a vehicle with a GVM of 4.5T or higher needs a Light Rigid drivers licence at a minimum and that comes with an obligation to know the rules that apply.

If your vehicle has a GVM of less than 4.5T, these rules don't apply to you. Simple.
Cheers,
Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Sunday 22nd of September 2019 05:55:43 PM

Phillipn · Guru

Long Weekend wrote:
Story in today's Daily Mail regarding drivers of so called heavy vehicles being fined in South Australia. One in particular was a Ford F-350.

Apparently, some larger utes are classified as 'heavy' vehicles by SA authorities with the same speed restrictions as say, a B double!
I drive a Ford Ranger which is classified as a 'LIGHT' truck here in the ACT. Ford also call Rangers' light' trucks.
As I will be driving through SA in a week's time does anyone have any further information about the SA law and what classification Rangers will fall into?
Perhaps I'll carry the registration papers with me just in case.
Murray

What offence was the driver charged with?

Long Weekend · Guru

Apparently for exceeding 60km/h coming down a steep hill where there was there was a sign 'Trucks and Buses use low gear' which seems to restrict those vehicles to 60km/h.
(I haven't heard of that law - perhaps it is peculiar to SA like 25km/h past school zones?)
Ordinary passenger cars are allowed 100km/h, which ute owners thought also applied to them resulting in bookings for a number of other drivers as well as the F-350 mentioned.
While the F-350 is a big beast obviously the other utes booked would be the average Rangers, BT50, Toyotas and such.

Murray

Santa · Guru

This law was introduced on the down track of the SE Freeway, a notoriously long, steep length of road into Adelaide.

Trucks often get into trouble by relying on brakes alone for control, when the brakes finally overheat and fail the vehicle is moving too fast to select a lower gear, there have been numerous accidents resulting in death because truck drivers came down through the hills in the wrong gear.

Here's a cut and paste that may clarify the matter. smile

https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/heavy-vehicles/heavy-vehicles-on-the-south-eastern-freeway

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Heavy vehicles

Heavy vehicles on the South Eastern Freeway

New penalties will apply to drivers of all heavy vehicles and buses who use the South Eastern Freeway down-track into Adelaide from 1 May 2019.

A vehicle is a heavy vehicle if it has a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of more than 4.5 tonnes.

A motor vehicle with a GVM of more than 4.5 tonnes is classified as a truck regardless of the body type of the vehicle (excluding tractors, trams and buses)
A motor vehicle built to carry more than 12 adults including the driver is classified as a bus.

When descending the South Eastern Freeway, truck and bus drivers must:

use a gear that is low enough to limit the speed of the vehicle without the use of a primary brake, and
not exceed the applicable speed limit.

While trucks and buses are limited to a maximum speed of 60km/h on the South Eastern Freeway down-track, speeds may be further reduced using the variable speed limit signs or other temporary speed limit signs at any time as required to maintain safe travel. This may include inclement weather, reduced visibility, a crash or roadworks.

Offences and penalties

From 1 May 2019, the following penalties will apply to these offences if the driver is not engaged in low gear as described above or exceeds the signed speed limit:

An expiation fee of $1,036 plus six demerit points plus:
- six month licence disqualification for a first offence
- twelve month licence disqualification for a second offence
- three year licence disqualification for subsequent offences.
Where convicted by the court, a first offence will attract a maximum fine of $5,000 plus six demerit points plus a licence disqualification of not less than 12 months. Subsequent offences will attract six demerit points, a licence disqualification of not less than three years and up to two years imprisonment.

These penalties apply only to low gear and speed offences committed by trucks and buses on the down-track of the South Eastern Freeway from Crafers to the intersection of Portrush, Cross and Glen Osmond Road.

Vehicles affected by the new laws

Is your vehicle a heavy vehicle

The South Eastern Freeway down-track

Additional signage

Why new laws being introduced

If your business vehicle is detected speeding

Santa · Guru

This link may give more insight into this notorious section of road.

https://7news.com.au/news/accidents/trucks-brake-failure-leads-to-seven-vehicle-smash-on-south-eastern-freeway-c-448330

Long Weekend · Guru

Thanks Santa.

As that law appears to only apply to the SE freeway and I will be passing through SA to the north it won't worry me. I'll only have to watch out for the 25km/h speed while passing schools or emergency vehicles.

Murray

BruDi · Senior Member

I agree with the 25 km/hour speed limit when passing schools where children are coming or going. Remember that in SA this rule applies 24 hours a day, not just school hours.

Di

Long Weekend · Guru

Thanks for that warning BruDi - I thought it would only be during school hours like every other state. Although what school age children would be around a school at midnight I cannot imagine.

Years ago a friend was booked for speeding past a school during the holidays. The policeman said it didn't matter - there could have been kids playing in the school yard.

Murray

BruDi · Senior Member

Here if they are playing in the schoolyard they are not coming or going.

Di

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

I am not totally familiar with those big F350s but I believe that in some specifications they may be rated quite high as far as weight is concerned.
This may be the case here and although the big F truck may not have a problem, if it has a GVM over 4.5T it is officially a truck and has to abide by the rules.

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

double post

-- Edited by Iva Biggen on Monday 23rd of September 2019 05:09:11 PM

Iva Biggen · Senior Member

From here

www.performaxint.com.au/showroom/ford/ford-f-truck-350

The smallest of these trucks / utes has a GVM of 5216 Kg

That is one big unit. :)

Santa · Guru

Here's a link to dash cam footage taken Wed this week, we see near misses like this constantly, this truckie was lucky he only lost his license, use a lower gear.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-26/dashcam-shows-truck-drivers-near-miss-on-south-eastern-freeway/11551398

-- Edited by Santa on Thursday 26th of September 2019 06:47:15 PM

-- Edited by Santa on Thursday 26th of September 2019 06:48:59 PM

dogbox · Guru

Santa wrote:

Here's a link to dash cam footage taken Wed this week, we see near misses like this constantly, this truckie was lucky he only lost his license, use a lower gear.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-26/dashcam-shows-truck-drivers-near-miss-on-south-eastern-freeway/11551398

-- Edited by Santa on Thursday 26th of September 2019 06:47:15 PM

-- Edited by Santa on Thursday 26th of September 2019 06:48:59 PM

the person taking the video was not that cluey why would you want to get in front of a out of control truck?

dogbox · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:

A heavy vehicle is one that has a GVM of 4.5T or higher.

This definition applies Australia wide.

Cheers,

Peter

that is the rules, end of story, no excuses (except ignorance and that won't wash in court)

Long Weekend · Guru

The original story was about a number of utes being fined for exceeding the 60km/h speed limit coming down the hill. Only one ute type was mentioned, being the F-350. The others would have been Rangers, Hiluxes, Tritons, Amoraks, etc. Apparently, the owners of the other utes were challenging the fines, but as pointed out it looks like the F-350 owner will be out of luck.
It was not mentioned whether any of the utes were towing anything, particularly a caravan.
Anyway, I originally intended bypassing Adelaide using the Sturt Highway on our way to the west but an unplanned family event means that we will now travel via Melbourne through Adelaide.
Being forewarned I'll be using low gears coming down the South Eastern Freeway - exactly as I do going down the Clyde Mountain and Brown Mountain on our trips to the coast.

Murray

PS: I would be interested in hearing whether any of the challenges by the other ute drivers were successful.