Busy recent schedule of inspections by NSW authorities as driver is charged
The New South Wales Joint Traffic Taskforce personnel have concluded a trucking company compliance inspection following a fatal truck collision with a ute near Berrima at the weekend.
The truck, bearing Kitco livery, ran through the Hume Freeway median strip before hitting the ute.
NSW Police would not confirm the company’s identity but says that during the south-west Sydney operation, conducted by police and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) inspectors, 21 trucks and trailers were inspected.
This involved:
- four electronic speed limiter downloads, with all four found to be compliant
- 16 breath tests and 14 drug tests conducted, all of which were negative
- one vehicle issued a major defect notice and grounded due to a steering issue
- notices issued for a range of minor defects including oil leaks, inoperative lights, and worn tyres
- one driver was issued a field court attendance notice for work diary offences
- storage, handling, and fatigue management records “found to be an issue”.
“As a result of a fatal crash near Berrima over the weekend, officers from the Joint Traffic Task Force inspected a trucking company in Ingleburn this morning,” Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy of the Traffic & Highway Patrol Command says.
“This morning’s operation serves as a reminder to any trucking company that our officers will respond to any major crash and go over their trucks, their books and processes with a fine-tooth comb.
“We make no apologies for conducting these types of operations in order to make all road users safe from dangerous trucks.”
The 63-year-old B-double driver underwent mandatory tests.
He was later charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, drive manner dangerous, and negligent driving occasioning death and faced Goulburn Local Court.
It was the second major truck crash in the Berrima region in a few days and comes after an incident on the Wingecarribee River Bridge.