According to the Victoria Police, from April 1, all heavy vehicle drivers are required to have a zero BAC – Blood Alcohol Calculation.
“At a BAC of .05, the risk of being involved in a road crash is about double compared with a BAC of zero. Studies show some drivers can be impaired from as little as 0.02 BAC.”
Previously in Victoria, the zero BAC requirement only applied to drivers of ‘larger vehicles’.
These included vehicles with a GVM greater than 15 tonnes.
From 1 April 2021, the zero BAC requirement will apply to drivers of all heavy vehicles which are defined as vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) greater than 4.5 tonnes.
Victoria Police said in a statement:
“We know that driving is a complex task, requiring concentration, judgement and skill. Some drivers can be impaired with as little as 0.02 BAC and crashes involving heavy vehicles are often serious regardless of who is at fault. That’s why the zero BAC statutory requirement has been extended to all drivers of heavy vehicles greater than 4.5 tonne (GVM) from 1 April, 2021.”
Alcohol and drug issues are a serious health and safety risk on Australian roads.
VicRoads has developed a toolkit to help businesses manage the risks of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in the workplace.
VicRoads free toolkit includes an online policy builder, an employer’s guide , Online education for employees and other Resources to help you identify and manage alcohol and drug problems in the workplace.
According to VicRoads, the penalty will differ depending on the BAC reading and other factors.
However, all offences will incur loss of licence, a mandatory behaviour change program and an alcohol interlock.
WATCH VIDEO: Create your own heavy vehicle alcohol and other drug policy
