Opposition Leader Tony Abbott got first-hand experience of an accident blackspot after his car narrowly avoided being hit by a truck on Wednesday morning.

Mr Abbott was on his way to be briefed on safety issues on the Princes Highway south-west of Melbourne when the near miss occurred.

His car was waiting to turn right on a single-lane section of the road at Winchelsea when the truck nearly rammed him from behind.

The truck was forced to swerve to the left around a small bus directly behind Mr Abbott's car which also ended up on the side of the road.

Amid a cloud of smoke and dust the truck driver managed to go to the left of Mr Abbott's stationary car and pull up on the roadside.

Speaking after the incident near a billboard which read, "Choose a car that could save your life", Mr Abbott said he was relieved no-one was hurt.

"I've got to say that the driver did a great job in keeping his vehicle upright in that situation," he said.

"I'm just very pleased and relieved no-one was hurt because it could have been a very nasty situation."

After the near-miss Mr Abbott spoke with the local Liberal candidate about road safety in the area.

"I'm out here on this highway experiencing myself just how difficult and dangerous it can be," he said.

The semi-trailer's driver, Luke McRae, was on a Melbourne to Warrnambool run with groceries and is back on the road after the incident.

His boss Graham Ryan says he was "shaken up" but his years of experience on the road helped him keep control of the vehicle.