Police ground trucks after fatal crash

Two trucks grounded and multiple defects issued following inspections at company involved in Dee Why crash

Two trucks have been grounded, 23 defect notices have been issued, and 25 speed limiters were found to be non-compliant during a police operation at a waste management company involved in a fatal crash in Dee Why last week.

On February 8, a 58-year-old woman was struck by a garbage truck on Moorilla Road, Dee Why, while pushing her 18-month-old grandson in a pram.

The woman died at the scene; the child was not injured.

Early yesterday (Feb 14), the Traffic Taskforce began a compliance inspection at the waste management company’s sites in the Sydney suburbs of Cromer and Five Dock.

During the operation, officers inspected 36 trucks across the two sites and issued a total of 23 mechanical defect notices for a range of issues including oil and hydraulic leaks, cracked chassis, and faulty lights.

Following the mechanical inspections, police conducted speed limiter downloads of 26 vehicles in the company’s fleet, with 25 found to be non-compliant.

Among those inspected were two vehicles issued with red-label defect notices and grounded.

Commander of the Traffic & Highway Patrol, Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy, said the operation directly relates to the fatal crash in Dee Why last week.

“Last week’s crash in Dee Why – which resulted in the death of a grandmother – is nothing short of a tragedy. Thankfully, the young child the woman was pushing in a pram was not injured.

“While the matter is now before the court, I can say that today’s operation is in direct response to the crash.

“To find 23 mechanical defects and 25 out of 26 speed limiters non-compliant in one day at a single company is not good enough.

“The operation should serve as a warning to all other companies, that we will inspect your entire fleet if one of your trucks is involved in a serious incident.

“Don’t wait until you or one of your drivers gets involved in a serious crash, get your fleet and processes in place now, so that it doesn’t happen at all,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.

Police ground trucks after fatal crash

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