Hundreds of thousands of Australian truck drivers will face tougher penalties from August 1, with some fines doubling to $26,610 under a major overhaul of the nation's heavy vehicle laws. ContactHundreds of thousands of Australian truck drivers will face tougher penalties from August 1. "(We need) better education, improved fatigue management, more rest areas, realistic scheduling and better road infrastructure," Aaron said. RELATEDIndustry questions tougher penaltiesNatRoad CEO Warren Clark questioned whether substantially increasing penalties alone would improve road safety. Aaron says a lack of rest areas often forces truck drivers to keep driving.