Industry welcomes more protection for roadside assistance providers and customers

The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) and the Royal Automobile Club Victoria (RACV) have welcomed the government’s expansion of road rule 79A to include the protection of emergency roadside workers, tow truck drivers, and their customers.

The expanded road rule 79A will require motorists to slow down to 40 km/h when passing stationary or slow-moving towing and roadside assistance vehicles displaying flashing lights with workers present on the roadside.

It will now cover accident towing vehicles, breakdown towing services, roadside assistance vehicles and incident response services, where previously, the 40 km/h rule only applied when passing emergency and law enforcement vehicles.

RACV General Manager of Automotive Services, Makarla Cole says the amendment addresses a safety issue and aligns with other Australian states.

“For the past two years, RACV has called on the Victorian Government to include roadside assistance vans, such as RACV patrol vans, and tow trucks in this rule,” Cole says.

“RACV is pleased with Minister Melissa Horne’s announcement that Victorians will soon slow down when passing any incident response vehicle, including RACV patrol vans.

“Victoria’s emergency roadside workers and tow truck drivers are often the first and only responders to an incident or breakdown and are exposed to the same risks as other responders, such as police and paramedics,” she says.

VACC chief executive Officer, Peter Jones, said the rule change represents a significant victory for road safety and VACC members who perform crucial roadside services.

“Our towing operators and roadside assistance personnel face serious dangers every day working mere centimetres from passing traffic. This rule will provide them with the same protections already afforded to emergency services personnel,” Jones says

“For too long, our members have been put at unnecessary risk while performing their essential work on Victorian roads. We’ve been fighting for this change for many years, and it’s gratifying to see our persistence pay off in this win for member safety on the roads.”

The reduced speed requirement will apply to all road types, including freeways, bringing consistency with existing speed restrictions in school zones and roadwork areas.

The VACC Towing Operator’s Division executive committee has been instrumental in achieving this regulatory change, with ongoing consultation with the Department of Transport and Planning. 

“We extend our sincere thanks to our Towing Division Executive Committee for their leadership in securing this vital safety measure,” Jones says. 

“This change demonstrates what can be achieved when industry and government work collaboratively to improve safety standards for all road users,” he says.