Airservices Australia has been fined $160,000 after one of its firefighting trucks ran a red light, killing three people in Darwin.
The 30-tonne truck, which had its emergency lights and sirens on, hit a car carrying architects Greg McNamara, Lena Yali and Kevin Taylor on its way to a large blaze at a cold stores facility in 2011.
The crew were responding to a request for help from the NT Fire and Rescue Service and were uninjured.
The Federal Court has ruled that Airservices Australia, which is owned by the commonwealth, breached health and safety laws in failing to properly train staff to drive under emergency conditions on a public road.
"These vehicles are by their very nature much larger than the majority of other vehicles driven on public roads," Justice Richard White said on Friday.
"The potential for serious injury and damage if they come into collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian is obvious."
Airservices admitted it had overlooked the risks, particularly in the case of red lights.
The truck driver had not driven on a public road under emergency conditions before and remains too traumatised to return to work.
He was initially charged with proceeding through a red traffic light, dangerous driving and dangerous driving causing death but the charges were dropped.
Federal workplace health and safety body Comcare said Airservices had improved its practices significantly since the accident.
"However all of the necessary measures did not exist at the time of the collision," chief executive Jennifer Taylor said.
Airservices Australia had faced a maximum penalty of $242,000 but Justice White imposed a lower fine because of its admissions and cooperation with investigations.
"It is not easy to identify what more it could have done by way of facing up to its responsibilities," he said.
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