A big green rig with a vital message of safety has hit Australian roads, with the launch of the revamped Australian Trucking Association Safety Truck.

The truck is packed with ATA's Road Ahead safety exhibition, which has started its run for safety with an appearance at the Newcastle Road Transport Awareness Day.

The Safety Truck has plenty of information and exhibits to keep teach attendees in an exciting environment.

The upgraded exhibition now includes a pedal car track, which proven extremely popular, to teach kids important lessons on road safety. The track is combined with a range of videos and other displays to warn about the risk of cutting in front of heavy vehicles, blind-spots and safe turning spaces.

ATA's Corporate Relations Manager, Steve Power says the upgrades have already paid off.

“Kids really get into the pedal car track. It's a fun way to teach basic road safety lessons like stopping at stop signs and following one way arrows,” Mr Power said.

“As you'd expect, many of the ATA's senior staff are former truck mechanics or drivers, and they were all down on the floor helping to put the first pedal car together.”

All funds raised at the Newcastle Road Transport Awareness Day Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

The Australian Trucking Association's chief executive Stuart St Clair said: “with the Safety Truck, we can help teach younger drivers how to stay safe when sharing the road with heavy vehicles.”

“We've also got plenty of activities for children - it's never too early to start learning about road safety.”

“The truck will have a heavy schedule in 2014. It will be at the 2014 International Truck, Trailer and Equipment Show in April and the Bathurst 1000 in October. During the rest of the year, it will support local government road safety education programs and community events like the Newcastle Road Transport Awareness Day.”

More information about the ATA Safety Truck and any of its appearances is available here.