3AW's Neil Mitchell is right to raise the issue of truck driver behaviour

Neil Mitchell frequently raises the issue of the dangerous, selfish and often criminal behaviour of truck drivers. He is doing this because of personal experience and because he has understood that many people consider truck driver behaviour a serious social problem.

Each time he raises the issue - always legitimately - he receives calls from truck drivers who aggressively dispute his claims. The blame is sheeted home to anyone except the truck drivers themselves, which only goes to demonstrate that truck drivers are in a dangerous state of denial.

I am frequently on the Melbourne ring road and Monash freeway and am frequently tailgated, harassed and squeezed by enormous trucks because I am not going fast enough. I am usually on the speed limit or just below it.

The Nine Network's A Current Affair recently gave an accurate picture of the behaviour and attitude of truck drivers. Vision of a truck driver ramming a sedan that was its way did not lie.

Not all truck drivers are guilty of such behaviour. But I would estimate that around 30% could not give a damn about the safety of other drivers, and a small percentage of those drive with criminal intent.

Truck tailgating should be made a criminal offence.