Speed limiter tampering costs road Freight Company $1.25 million

A NSW based road freight company has been fined a record amount of $1.25 million for tampering with their vehicles’ speed limiters.

NSW law requires most heavy vehicles to be fitted with a device that limits the maximum speed to 100 kilometres per hour. There are a number of offences that a person can be charged with if this requirement is not complied with.

Scott’s Transport was recently found guilty of 165 individual offences where its trucks were found speeding between August 2010 and March 2012. One driver, who was recorded speeding at 142 kilometres per hour on the Hume Highway, was discovered to have no functioning speed limiter at all.

In 2012, Lennons Transport faced 215 charges of speeding that occurred since late 2010. One of the heavy vehicle drivers in this case was detected speeding at 133 kilometres per hour on the Hume Highway, and the following day he was involved in a traffic collision with a car that resulted in the deaths of three people.

The road freight transport industry has recently been highlighted by WorkCover NSW as a priority industry.  WorkCover NSW has introduced rebates of up to $2000 to help small road freight transport operators achieve safety improvements in manual tasks when handling freight, preventing falls from heights, securing loads and traffic management. To access further information about these rebates, click here.

It appears that in light of this costly conviction and sentencing, all work safety practices in the road freight transport industry are being carefully placed under the microscope.

If you would like to know more about how to develop your own workplace safety plan, or are otherwise concerned about meeting the required safety standards of the industry, please contact Safety Services Australia today on +61 29634 5912  or info@safetyservices.net.au