Rules for heavy vehicles
There are some general road rules in Queensland affecting the use of heavy and long vehicles. These include rules for:
Heavy vehicles weigh 4.5t or more and long vehicles measure 7.5m or more.
Safe following distances
When driving a vehicle that is 7.5m or longer and following another long vehicle, you must leave a gap of at least 60m between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
If you are driving a road train, you must leave a gap of at least 200m.
This rule doesn't apply if you're driving on a multi-lane road or a road in a built-up area. In these cases you must leave enough space to allow you to stop safely and avoid a crash.
You should increase these following distances in poor weather conditions. Read more about safe following distances.
Stopping and parking rules
If you're driving a heavy or long vehicle, you can stop in built-up areas for up to 1 hour. You can only stop for longer if:
- you're dropping off or picking up goods—for the entire period your vehicle is stopped
- signs say otherwise.
You may only stop on the shoulder of roads in non-built-up areas.
You can contact your local council if you have a stopping or parking issue relating to a heavy vehicle.
Load limits
You must not drive past a bridge load limit sign, or a gross mass limit sign, if the maximum gross mass of your vehicle is above the limit shown on the sign.
Using low gears
When driving a truck or bus on steep routes (such as Cunningham's Gap, the Kuranda Range or the Toowoomba Range) you must drive in a gear low enough to limit your speed without relying on your primary brake.
This rule is designed to reduce brake fade and the potential of serious accidents.