NHVR backs National Farm Safety Week with focus on heavy vehicle safety

Lead by example. Stay alert. Arrive home safely.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is urging farmers, heavy vehicle operators and all road users to prioritise safety around agricultural heavy vehicles as National Farm Safety Week kicks off today (July 19).

The 2026 theme of the week, run by Farmsafe Australia, is Set the Standard – Show ‘em how it’s done, encouraging everyone working with or around heavy vehicles to lead by example and make safe practices part of everyday operations.

NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati said the message of maintaining high standards should be front of mind for agricultural workers across the country.

“Many in the agricultural industry face similar pressures to the wider heavy vehicle industry with tight deadlines to manage crop harvests, long hours behind the wheel and driver fatigue all presenting safety issues for workers in the sector,” Mr Salvati said.

“In managing these factors, a small number in the sector may be tempted to cut corners to save time or money, but we are urging them to embrace the theme of the week and prioritise safety standards at all times.

“By setting and expecting high standards for vehicle maintenance, safe loading and fatigue management, we are setting an example to others we work with to prioritise factors that will improve safety outcomes for everyone.”

Mr Salvati said the more remote locations of many in the agricultural sector increased the severity of impacts when incidents do occur.

“Areas where agricultural heavy vehicles are in use can often be remote, so when incidents occur on the road or the farm, there is an added element of risk as emergency services are not nearby,” Mr Salvati said.

“Accepting less than the highest of safety standards is a key factor in incidents involving heavy agricultural vehicles and can lead to severe injuries or even fatalities in rural and remote areas.”

Mr Salvati also called on light vehicle drivers sharing the road with heavy agricultural vehicles to set high safety standards to do their part in creating a safe road environment for all users.

“While residents in farming regions may feel they are familiar with heavy agricultural vehicles, interacting with them on rural roads can be still challenging,” he said.

“It’s important to give unique vehicles like gran harvesters plenty of space to operate safely as they have limited visibility, a wider turning circle and need to drive at slower speeds.”

The NHVR produces a range of resources for owners and operators of agricultural heavy vehicles including specific regulatory advice notices for the agricultural and livestock sectors which can be found by searching: Regulatory Advice – Operating in the agricultural sector

The regulator also supports the wider agricultural industry through support from the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI). The HVSI provides funds to the Livestock Bulk and Rural Carriers Association’s (LBRCA) Heavy Vehicle Rollover Awareness Program (HVRAP).

The free program uses real-life experiences from professional drivers to deliver practical tools and resources to help reduce heavy vehicle rollovers, crashes, serious injuries and fatalities across the road freight industry. This year the program will launch new modules, case studies and content relating to grain, cotton, fertiliser and livestock transport.

For more information about National Farm Safety Week, visit the Farmsafe website.