Unimogs had 125 accidents in six years

The New Zealand Army has defended the safety record of its Unimog trucks, after a coroner's inquest revealed about 125 accidents involving the vehicles in the past six years.

The list of accidents was produced yesterday, on day four of the inquest into the deaths of soldiers Private Sean Dougherty and Private Daniel Kairua.

The pair were killed when the seven-tonne Unimog they were travelling in tumbled 120m down a steep Canterbury hillside during an Army training exercise in August last year.

An Army Court of Inquiry found the crash was the result of inattention by the driver, Private Dougherty, and police also believe inattention may have been a factor. But independent investigator Sandy Beckett concluded the crash was the result of Bossu Rd collapsing beneath the Unimog.

At the inquest yesterday, the Banks Peninsula District Council, which is responsible for Bossu Rd, produced a list of Unimog accidents it had requested from the Army.

Council lawyer Willie Palmer said there had been about 125 accidents involving the Unimogs between February 1999 and July this year.

Although 60 were relatively minor, the remaining 60 to 65 could be considered more serious, Mr Palmer said. More than 25 involved the Unimog rolling over.

Asked by Mr Palmer if he accepted the Unimogs seemed to roll over a lot, Army master driver Warrant Officer Graeme Burns said he did not.

In most cases it was a "low and slow roll-over", Warrant Officer Burns said. "It is the type of business we are in."

Counsel for the Army, Captain Grant Fletcher, argued the list had taken an "extremely broad-brush approach".

He put it to Warrant Officer Burns that the Army's Unimog fleet travelled more than 2 million km a year and many of the accidents were minor.

Captain Fletcher: "Given the number of kilometres per year and the number of incidents, do you think the Unimog is an unsafe vehicle?"

Warrant Officer Burns: "No, sir".

Asked to comment about Private Dougherty, Warrant Officer Burns said he was an above-average driver, capable of handling the terrain on the day of his death.

"Sean's driving was very, very good. Of a high standard. I believe he would have been concentrating on what he was doing."

Also at the inquest yesterday, council roading manager David McNaughton took the stand and rejected statements made to the court by Mr Beckett about the state of Bossu Rd.

"I reject the suggestion there is a problem of slippage or otherwise on Bossu Rd. Bossu Rd is no different to numerous other narrow, unsealed roads on the peninsula and elsewhere," Mr McNaughton said.

"Throughout my time working for the council, I am not aware of any complaints having been lodged with regard to Bossu Rd. Had the council received a complaint I would have undertaken a detailed investigation and thereafter implemented appropriate remedial work if such works were deemed necessary."

The inquest continues today.

Truck trouble

An Army list indicates there have been 125 accidents involving the Unimogs during the past six years.

60 were relatively minor. The remaining 60 to 65 were more serious.

25 involved the Unimog rolling over.