Truckie reveals what not to do on a highway

News.com.au

23-05-2025

Adelaide truckie Ben Stamatovich spends 64 hours a week in his massive semi-trailer driving to Perth and back.
Together with his co-worker and truckie mate, the pair take turns driving in five-hour stints mainly along the Nullarbor Plain, a 1,200km stretch of flat, almost treeless terrain that lies between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia.
The duo transport produce each week to big chain companies including Coles and Woolies, which takes roughly 32 hours each way.
And while Ben loves his job, often surrounded by breathtaking scenery, he's also shared the dangers that come with it, particularly overtaking or navigating tight bends and blind spots.
The 52-year-old recently shared a clip to Facebook warning motorists of what not to do when about to be overtaken.
'What we don't want is to come up behind a caravan and they put their breaks on and slow down,' Ben told news.com.au.
'They think they're doing the right thing to help get us around but all that does is make us lose our momentum.
'And pulling off on the side of the road when they're doing 60km/hr is when things become tricky (and dangerous),' he said, adding he's had a few near misses.
In a Facebook clip from earlier this month, Ben said the safest approach when about to be overtaken is to continue at the speed you are doing.
'We will overtake and when we do maybe just back it off then. The way it's done here makes me and other truck drivers second guess, because to me it's a sign of panic and silly sh*t happens when panic is involved.'
The clip was of a van driver doing speeds of roughly 90km/hr, and when Ben was about 100 metres away, the driver backed it down to 60km/hr with a corner coming up.
'I just think people don't understand the lack of power we actually have, as in if we have to back off to 60km/hr it will take 10km to get up to 100 again so a quick over take doesn't happen unless everyone is on the same page,' he explained.
He said most motorists get it right but in order for it to work effortlessly, communication is key, adding that ultra-high frequency (UHF) radios come in very handy.
'If everyone is communicating there a lot less chance of something going on,' he said.
In another clip is showed the effectiveness of UHF.
Ben is seen driving along the Nullabor when a motorist in front radios him in saying, 'Let me know when you want to come around'.
'Yeah cheers buddy, we'll get on the next straight and have a look,' Ben responds.
'That's a good start – communication straight away. It puts me at ease and when I am ready to go, I know that we are on the same page.'
After Ben gained momentum, he overtook the vehicle, with the driver slowly backing off.
'I knew he was going to do that because we've already spoken,' Ben said in the clip before thanking the man.
'Good on you mate appreciate that have a good day.'
He also had success with another two vehicles in front.
'Three in a row and all three couldn't of done it better,' he said in the video.
'If you want to pull a van around Australia, for your own safety get a UHF, yes some trucks won't answer you but most will. Well done to these 3 travellers.'
Ben said while it can be done without a UHF, there's a lot less chance of something going wrong if you have one.
'When they haven't got a UHF you are also thinking for them and these roads are all good for overtaking but if someone doesn't back off, it's best to know you can all communicate through it rather than second guessing what the other person is going to do – and before you know it, you're in all kinds of sh*t.'
Ben said he just wanted to shed light on the situation from a truckie's perspective and many have thanked him for sharing his advice.
'As you said … it's the way it should be done. I still believe that anyone towing over 750kg should be mandatory to have a UHF and be monitoring it while travelling on highways,' a Facebook user commented.
'Positive posts like this both encourage and educate drivers to be safe and courteous on our roads, keep up the great work,' another added.