29 Jan 2015

Accident investigators name top concerns

5:39 pm on 29 January 2015

Transport operators under the influence of alcohol and drugs, a lack of personal locator beacon use and no licensing system for recreational boat users are the top continuing concerns of accident investigators.

boating

Photo: 123rf

They featured in the release of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission's inaugural issue of its safety monitoring publication, Watch List.

The commission cited the tragic hot-air ballooning crash in in 2012 in which the pilot had cannabis in his system.

It recommended the transport sector put in place systems to prevent a repeat of such an accident, such as random alcohol and drug testing of people in safety-critical transport roles.

But it said no such system had evolved yet.

The commission also said the transport sector could do more to encourage boaties to use personal locator beacons and a licensing system should be introduced for recreational boaties to demonstrate their ability to skipper a boat.

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