Australian first: Truckies receive funding boost to save lives with Truckie First Aid

Truckie First Aid is a training that takes 30 to 40 minutes, is available to everyone, everywhere, even on your phone at a rest stop. truckiefirstaid.org.au

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NatRoad and St John Ambulance Australia are proud to announce the significant expansion of the highly successful Truckie First Aid eLearning program as part of a $4.4 million investment from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and their Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI) supported by the Australian Government.

In an Australian first, truckies from all corners of the country will now have access to free online first aid training in multiple languages to help save lives and reduce the road toll.

Over 1,500 drivers have completed the course so far, with the additional funding meaning the free training is now available in Punjabi and Mandarin, the two most common languages spoken in the industry after English. Further languages will be released before the end of the year.

Warren Clark, CEO of NatRoad, said the importance of the program to truck drivers across Australia could not be understated.

“I’m pleased to announce the launch of this life-saving program in a range of different languages, to make it even easier for those with English as a second language to participate.”

“By upskilling truckies across the country we are making sure drivers are more prepared than ever before to save lives on and off the road.”

“For many of us, saving a life could be the most important thing we’ll ever do. So, if the situation arises, we want drivers to be prepared.”

Key statistics:

2023, 30.7% of Australia’s population was born overseas, with the largest populations coming from England, India, China and New Zealand. (ABS)
During the 12 months ending February 2025, there were 1,292 road deaths in Australia, marking a 1.6% increase compared to the same period the previous year. (National Road Safety Data Hub)
67.3% of truck drivers will be first responders to a traffic accident at some time in their career. (NT Road Transport Association Truck Drivers – First Responders, Final Report, 21 July 2021, L. Bilato)
59% of deaths from injuries would have been prevented if adequate First Aid had been provided before emergency services arrived (St John Ambulance)
Road accidents sent 39,505 people to hospital in 2021, with the estimated economic impact of crashes reaching $30+ billion per annum.(National Road Safety Data Hub)

The NHVR’s Acting Executive Director Corporate Affairs, Steve Smith, said NatRoad is one of 16 grantees receiving funding as part of a $4.4 million investment towards HVSI projects.

“We’re proud to provide this crucial funding that will allow the online first aid training to be translated into multiple languages,” Mr Smith said.

“The HVSI grants program funds critical industry-led safety projects aimed at reducing road trauma and saving lives on Australia’s roads.”

St John Ambulance Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, Adrian Watts, also acknowledged the importance and significance of the program.

“This will make it easier for drivers with English as their second language to complete the training and be confident in what they learn, while reducing barriers to taking the course in the first place.

“Empowering truckies with the knowledge and skills to respond to a first aid emergency just makes sense, and by extending the program into multiple languages will only encourage more to do the course, leading to more people being saved on the roads.”

“The program combines best practice training principles, with knowledge and skills drawn from the DRSABCD First Aid action plan. The training is highly accessible through a free, online learning tool that is tailored to the audience.”

Why Truckie First Aid is critical:

Enhance immediate response: Truckie First Aid equips drivers with the skills to provide immediate assistance at accident scenes, potentially reducing the severity of injuries and saving lives.
Improve safety awareness: The program fosters a culture of safety and preparedness among truck drivers, encouraging proactive measures to prevent accidents.
Support diverse workforce: Offering training in multiple languages ensures that non-English speaking drivers have access to vital safety education, addressing the diverse linguistic landscape of the industry.

Truckie First Aid is a training that takes 30 to 40 minutes, is available to everyone, everywhere, even on your phone at a rest stop. truckiefirstaid.org.au