Dianne Carroll, chief executive and founder of the Tarcutta-based Trans-Help Foundation which helps truck drivers and families in crisis, said if the death toll from truck accidents was experienced at a factory, authorities would act.

“If we lost 230 lives in a factory they would shut it down but where’s the inquiry, where’s the proper investigation?” Ms Carroll said.

“If heavy vehicle accidents were classed as ‘workplace’ accidents and investigated accordingly, the real issues would be revealed — if it is the road surface, the hours worked, fatigue, the pressure from the regulator and regulations.”

A Victorian WorkSafe spokesman said police had the responsibility of investigating truck fatalities but there is provision for them to liaise with workplace investigators if problems with safety were highlighted.

“While Victoria Police is responsible for investigating all road deaths, WorkSafe works with the transport industry to promote safety across the supply chain,” he said.

Ms Carroll also wants greater responsibility taken by transport firms who she says are pressuring drivers.

“If you started hitting the companies for half the fines maybe the companies would have second thoughts about what they’re doing out there,” she said.

The difficulties of meeting logbook demands, which truck drivers believe ignore the reality of individual circumstances, were also noted by Ms Carroll.

“They’re dictating when they’re asleep and when they’re awake. They’re trying to design everybody’s metabolism to be the same,” she said.

Ms Carroll said clerical errors, which can involve truck drivers shortening Victoria to Vic and Wangaratta to Wang, were leading to $800 fines.

“A driver called our hotline today — $800 for a genuine clerical error in his work diary – how is that going to stop truck accidents?” she said.

“I’m all for doing the right thing but the system has to be flexible for them to do the right thing and currently it’s not.”