You’ve probably seen footage of too-high trucks attempting to drive under a bridge or into a tunnel and not quite making it. Unfortunately, these kinds of incidents are occurring regularly on Australian roads.
So far this year, in Brisbane alone we’ve had 100 overheight vehicle incidents inside our tunnels.
These incidents – where trucks become stuck, lose loads and require assistance to get back out – can cause serious traffic delays. They can also damage critical tunnel infrastructure and cause crashes and other secondary incidents, especially when other motorists have to stop or swerve to avoid falling debris.
Thankfully, nobody has been injured on our Brisbane roads due to one of these incidents, and only minor damage has been sustained to date. But in every case, the outcome could have been much worse.
And whatever city you’re driving in, if you’re behind the wheel of a truck, there are steps you can take to avoid getting caught out by a bridge or tunnel entrance.
Check your vehicle – or load – height before you drive
A contributing factor in many incidents is heavy vehicle drivers not knowing how high their vehicle – or load – is. Measuring your vehicle or load before you head off could save you from a stressful and dangerous experience.
Know the applicable clearance heights and confirm your vehicle or load will fit
Clearance heights are not standard across roads, cities or states. Never assume that clearing one tunnel or bridge means you’ll clear them all. Clearance heights for our tunnels are:
- AirportlinkM7, Clem7 and Legacy Way, Brisbane – 4.6 metres
- Domain and Burnley tunnels, CityLink, Melbourne – 4.65 metres
- Sydney – tunnel clearance heights vary, so check your route here: Vehicle height limits - Linkt.
If your vehicle or load is higher than these clearances, you’re not going to fit and you need to take a different route.
Follow signage and alerts
We’ve got eyes on the road 24/7 and sophisticated early-detection systems that alert drivers of overheight vehicles when they are about to enter a tunnel. The system will activate electronic signage to warn vehicles to reduce speeds and exit the motorway before reaching the tunnel. If you keep driving, in most cases, a physical barrier will prevent your entry. We may also need to close the tunnel to escort your vehicle safely off the road – causing inconvenience and delays to you and other road users.
Remember we’re here to help
If you do find yourself on a Transurban road and need help, pull over where safe to do so, call 13 33 31 and our incident response team will be with you as soon as possible.
