Kingaroy truck driver John William Whyatt sentenced for working ‘dangerous’ overtime shift

A magistrate said he was shocked a Kingaroy truckie couldn’t lose his licence after driving two dangerously long stints, while a trace amount of weed will lose a person their licence. Here’s what he had to say:

A South Burnett truck driver has been slapped with a hefty fine after driving nearly 16 hours in a single shift in what a magistrate called a “dangerous” breach.

John William Whyatt was pulled while driving a B-double combination over on Bayswater Road at Garbutt in August last year.

Prosecutor Sergeant Sean Franklin, who appeared on behalf of the Department of Transport and Main Roads, said within a 24 hour period the 40-year-old drove 15.75 hours in a single shift - taking him from Esk to Bowen via Marlborough.

A solo trucker cannot legally work more than 12 hours in a 24 hour period, with a stint exceeding 13.5 hours considered a critical breach.

Sergeant Franklin said Whyatt breached his 24 hour limit twice more during August, driving for more than 13 hours from Marlborough to Cairns via Innisfail and then drove for five and a half hours straight from Innisfail to Cairns without the required 15 minute break.

Whyatt told the court it was his first time driving that truck in combination and that he was encouraged to “push to get to Innisfail by Monday morning” by his company.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of working more than the maximum hours and failing to comply with mass requirements for a heavy vehicle.

Whyatt was fined a total $3500.

“You were in charge of a large and heavy, and therefore very dangerous vehicle, when you committed the breaches,” Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said.

“I’m surprised the legislature doesn’t treat drivers of B-doubles as being more dangerous than someone who has a minute detectable amount of marijuana in their system.

“They must lost their licence, but you won’t lose yours.”