A TRUCK driver has called for caravanners to take defensive driving courses.

The plea follows a story in Caravanning News in which travellers hit out at the alleged horror driving habits of some truckies.

Caravanners accused them of bully tactics and called for government action to curb what they claim was their worsening "arrogant and dangerous" driving as they strived to achieve unrealistic delivery schedules.

The accusations came as Queensland State Coroner Michael Barnes announced plans to review the alarming increase in the number of fatal crashes involving heavy vehicles on the nation's roads.

But Queensland truck driver Phill Waterreus told the Sunshine Coast Daily that all drivers should be made to do a defensive driving course before being given a licence, then have to retake it every 10 years.

"You can get a licence now at 17 or 18, put a caravan or trailer on the back, with no licence to tow a heavy vehicle. You see them swaying all over the road, they have too much weight," he said.

Mr Waterreus told the newspaper he had driven an estimated 12 million kilometres, with only one accident in 39 years. He was reported to have crashed his $200,000 B-double to avoid police and emergency workers at the scene of a truck rollover on the Bruce Highway.

"I ended up missing police and emergency workers by millimetres," he said. "I crashed the truck – not once did they thank me for that."

He told the newspaper drivers did not understand the stopping limitations of heavy trucks.

"Even though I am doing the speed limit, people pass then cut in front ... and slow down. I drive a 62.5-tonne B-double," he explained, asking how was he supposed to stop in time if something went wrong.

Mr Waterreus said police were using valuable resources chasing truckies when "everyone else goes where they want".

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