"The message is simple - we need space to keep you safe."
That's what outback trucker Glenn "Yogi" Kendall wants motorists to know across Australia.
The popular truckie from Katanning in Western Australia has joined forces with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) to spread the message of heavy vehicle safety, as part of its ongoing We All Need Space road safety campaign.
"Truck drivers often feel like they're fighting for every inch of the road, watching other drivers ducking and diving into a space just to get to their destination quicker," he said.
"Sitting up in my cab, I worry watching other motorists make dangerous decisions because they're unaware of what's in front, beside or behind their vehicle."
Yogi has urged all drivers to be mindful of truckies who are simply "doing their job".
"At the end of the day, this is my workplace," he said.
"When I take my truck out on the road, I set out to come home safely."
NHVR'S Michelle Tayler said the regulator was committed to educating all road users to be more cautious when driving around heavy vehicles.
"With more than one million heavy vehicles on Australian roads, there's a good chance you will pass a truck every time you jump in your car," she said.
"But heavy vehicles aren't the same as cars, and all motorists have a responsibility to give them the space they need to complete their journeys safely.
"We're targeting our safety messaging at both heavy and light vehicle drivers, to really spread that important message - that we all need space on the road."
As the NHVR's latest safety campaign, We All Need Space provides simple tips for drivers on how to drive safely around oversized loads, safely overtake trucks, how to keep out of truck blind spots, and the rules around overtaking a turning truck.
