New Zealand companies fined over fatal runaway trailer incident

Two companies have been fined $270,000 and ordered to pay $130,000 in reparations by a Christchurch court after a man died when his van was struck by a runaway trailer.

WorkSafe investigated the October 2020 incident and found the trailer’s locking handle wasn’t engaged, and its safety chain was disconnected from the vehicle.

Following the incident, WorkSafe reminds businesses to conduct regular inspections on trailers.

“These are routine checks that must be done when towing a trailer. If not, the consequences can be catastrophic,” says WorkSafe’s Head of Specialist Interventions, Dr Catherine Gardner.

Visit the WorkSafe NZ website for full details.