Australian National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has launched a new major road safety awareness campaign, titled Don’t #uck With A Truck.

The campaign targets Learner and Provisional licence holders.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the campaign demonstrates how L and P licence holders can drive safely around trucks, including rules to follow when trucks are turning, stopping and how to overtake a truck.

“The campaign is intentionally provocative and is designed to grab the target audience’s attention and start important conversations around road safety,” Petroccitto said.

“Our goal is to prevent situations where a young driver could be in a lane next to a turning truck, or they pull in front of a truck too soon.”

A survey of 500 L and P licence holders aged between 16 and 25 found more than three quarters (78%) of participants were unable to identify the correct stopping distance for a prime mover semi-trailer truck travelling 80kph, which is 116m.

Less than half (45%) knew to keep one lane either side of a truck free when it is turning.

When it came to how to overtake a truck safely, 30% of respondents didn’t know you should only pull back in front of a truck when you can see its headlights in your rear-view mirror.

Don’t #uck With A Truck will appear online on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube and across billboards and university O-Week pop-ups. The campaign is funded by the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, supported by the Federal Government.