The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has launched the third phase of the Don’t #uck With A Truck campaign, team­ing up with young drivers to spread a critical message; to drive safely around trucks.

NHVR Acting Chief Operations Officer Mi­chelle Tayler said by co-designing the new phase of the campaign with young drivers, the regulator has been able to create a se­ries of road safety videos that use a combi­nation of humour and serious messaging to engage young viewers.

“The new Don’t #uck With A Truck videos depict young drivers as ghosts after they have been in an accident with a truck due to their unsafe driving” Ms Tayler said.

“Even a minor distraction can have devas­tating consequences.

“Our goal is to prevent situations where an inexperienced driver could be in a lane next to a turning truck, they pull in front of a truck too soon or they linger in a truck’s blind spot.”

The campaign will be broadcast across social media including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, meeting young drivers where they are consuming content.

For more information and to watch the lat­est videos, visit: www.dontmuckwithatruck.com.au

NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said “These upgrades are vital to better connect our regional communities and improve efficiency on one of our busiest regional routes.

Two bridges being built as part of the Parkes Bypass project will move one step closer to carrying traffic, as massive girders to sup­port the bridge decks are lifted into place.

The $287.2 million Parkes Bypass project will feature five key intersections and two new bridges, including one over Hartigan Avenue and the rail corridor and a second over the bypass on Victoria Street.

Preliminary work including construction of the abutments, or bridge ends, at either end of the bridges is now nearing comple­tion and two giant cranes will be mobilised to the bypass site to lift six girders into place at each of the bridges.

Each of the 60-tonne girders will be hoist­ed high in the air and lowered into place on the bridge supports weather permitting – on 15 October. These girders, add to the 30 girders lifted into place in October 2023.

Once the cranes are set up, a 600-tonne crane will pass the girders one-by-one to the 750-tonne crane so they can be in­stalled between the northern abutment and the next pier. The process will be repeated on 5 November, when one of the cranes is again used to lift six more girders into place for the new Victoria Street Bridge.

Once it’s completed, the 10.5-kilometre bypass on the western outskirts of Parkes will reduce travel time, improve freight productivity and efficiency on the New­ell Highway,improve pedestrian access through Parkes and benefit traffic flow.