Driving a Truck or Bus Safely on the South Eastern Freeway

The South Eastern Freeway, on the approach to Adelaide, ends in a 7km continuous steep downhill descent before arriving at a major intersection.

Before you attempt to drive down the South Eastern Freeway, you should use the information provided here to remind yourself how to descend safely.

Just one driver making a mistake, or not realising they need a safety refresher, could cost multiple lives.

• Road safety

  Find information about how to descend the South Eastern Freeway safely, where safety ramps are positioned and other South Eastern Freeway safety considerations.

• Laws, offences and penalties

  Find information about applicable laws and related penalties to the South Eastern Freeway down-track.

About the South Eastern Freeway

The South Eastern Freeway forms part of the Adelaide to Melbourne road corridor and is an important strategic freight route for South Australia.

In 2021, the South Eastern Freeway, between Crafers interchange and Glen Osmond, carried an average of 48,000 vehicles per day, with approximately 5,200 of these classed as heavy vehicles.

The South Eastern Freeway has unique conditions that require truck and bus drivers to pay special attention to the law to ensure a safe journey for all road users.

The South Australian Government is undertaking a comprehensive review of heavy vehicle safety on the South Eastern Freeway down-track (the city-bound lanes) between Crafers and the intersection of Cross Road, Portrush Road and Glen Osmond Road.