The ABC has travelled more than 550 kilometres across regional Victoria and South Australia to find out whether drivers are still giving courtesy waves along our highways and country roads. 

The "wave test drive" started in Mildura in Victoria's north-west, through the towns of Ouyen, Speed, Patchewollock, Walpeup, and along the Mallee Highway before crossing the South Australian border, with the driver waving at every passing vehicle.

From there, the ABC headed north to Loxton via Pinnaroo, through Swan Reach and Blanchetown before finally arriving at Truro, a town 80km north-east of Adelaide.

The results showed an uncertain future for the courtesy wave, with drivers from just 33 of the 374 vehicles the ABC passed waving back.

On the highways, 25 waved back from 362 vehicles, while eight out of 12 waved on the back roads.

Some truck drivers and country people have noticed fewer drivers giving out courtesy waves. (ABC News: Amelia Walters)

Even though the results were a small sample of Australia's road network, it highlighted that while the wave might be declining on highways, it remained strong on back roads between small towns.

However, locals had differing opinions on the future of the wave.

Speed local Meredith Rowney said the wave had decreased in regularity over time, but the type of road a person was travelling on mattered.

"If you're in a small country town where you know people, you are more likely to wave than in the bigger centres where you don't know people," Ms Rowney said.

"I think living locally, we see our friends driving past us, or our neighbours, so we wave to many people that pass us, as well as those that give way to us or do something kind."

The ABC tested how many drivers gave courtesy waves during a trip through Victoria and South Australia. (ABC News: Will Hunter)

Ouyen fuel tank driver Paul Dean said the wave happened regularly, but more likely between towns.

"Country people are still country people; everyone waves to everyone," Mr Dean said.

"[If] I see a white ute, nine times out of 10 that's going to be a local farmer, so I better wave otherwise they might get crook at me later on and say you're bit of snob, you didn't wave, so I definitely try and wave and a lot of people wave back."

NSW tourist Brad, who was travelling through Truro, said the gesture might be happening more often.

"My 13-year-old son is teaching me different forms of doing it, so if it's in his sphere, then more people are doing it," he said.

Interstate driver sees a decline

Interstate truck driver Pete Kelly has been in the industry for 40 years and said the wave had "all but died off".

"People seem to be in too much of a rush, without having any courtesy," Mr Kelly said.

"Back in the day, when I first started, it was there all the time, and drivers would acknowledge each other, whether you were overtaking or coming towards each other, you always acknowledged the other driver.

"[Even] car drivers … I rarely see [the wave] these days."

Pete Kelly says the friendly gesture has "died off". (Supplied: Pete Kelly)

Truck driver and road safety advocate Rod Hannifey shared a similar view.

"[It] seems noticeable that it has dropped off," Mr Hannifey said.

"It's disappointing from the point of view that where we used to wave to truckies all the time, it was part of the mateship and the culture, and that seems to have died off … in one way that's a bad thing, [since] we are out there alone on the road.

Rod Hannifey is hoping to introduce a National Wave Day next year. (ABC News: Kenji Sato)

"There are a number of reasons for that; I suppose phones are probably a big one … in the past, we relied on UHF radio and before that CB [radio].

Mr Hannifey said a campaign had started in NSW called "Wave to a Truckie" to promote "the wave". He also hoped to introduce a National Wave Day next year.

Wave improves road safety

Australia Road Safety Foundation chair and founder Russell White said bringing back the wave could shift the road culture, which in recent years had dropped due to poor driver behaviour and increased road aggression.

Russell White says bringing back the wave could help shift the road culture. (Supplied: ARSF)

"I guess there's been a general decrease in a whole stack of our more social connection mechanisms that we might have traditionally had," Mr White said.

 "[The wave] resets that narrative a little bit … [and] could change the overall culture on the road, just one driver, one road user at a time."

Mr White said the friendly gesture would help with awareness on the road.

"I think anything that could re-establish a connection is probably a really good tool to improve the overall level of road safety awareness," he said.

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