The Barossa Valley incident occurred on 20 February 2025 after the driver stopped the bus. She left the bus and was inspecting it when it rolled about 10 metres down an incline, knocking her down and rolling over her.

SafeWork Inspectors attended the scene and enquiries are continuing.

There have been four South Australian deaths where workers have been struck by a roll-away vehicle since 2020.

In the same period, there have also been 12 serious injuries and eight reports of property damage caused by vehicle roll-aways.

A roll-away incident involves the unintentional movement of a vehicle because it has not been safely immobilised.

In most incidents the predominant cause is that the handbrake has not been engaged or is ineffective.

Roll-aways can occur with any type of mobile plant including cars, forklifts, trucks, tractors, trailers, passenger vehicles and heavy machinery. Roll-aways can occur on worksites, car parks, maintenance yards or when a vehicle is parked on the side of the road.

This can include when the vehicle brakes are not adequately applied or engaged, when doing repairs on the vehicle, during loading and unloading, or when coupling or uncoupling a truck and trailer.

Vehicles, that have not been safely immobilised roll-away, create a risk to people who could be hit, crushed, trapped or run over, leading to serious injuries or fatalities. Injuries can also occur when a person tries to enter or exit a vehicle that has begun to roll-away.

The State Government launched the Workplace Road Safety Guide in November 2024, which includes a section on vehicle roll-aways.

Safe Work Australia also in 2023 released a fact sheet to provide guidance for businesses, employers and workers about managing the risks of vehicle roll-aways at the workplace.

Businesses have a duty under WHS laws to eliminate or minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

The Safe Work Australia fact sheet provides practical tips to reduce the risk of vehicle roll-away such as seeking out flat ground when parking, fail-safe automatic braking systems or the use of chocks.

Attribute quotes to SafeWork SA Executive Director Glenn Farrell

Vehicle roll-away incidents in South Australia were almost always preventable.

Eliminating the risk of a vehicle roll-away should be a priority for all businesses and drivers, given the devastating consequences that can eventuate.

A reminder to businesses to ensure immobilising and braking systems are fully maintained and operational on all types of vehicles, and to drivers, for everyone’s sake, apply the break.

Further links

• Workplace Road Safety Guide
• Vehicle roll-aways fact sheet
• Vehicle roll-aways posters (PDF)
• Vehicle roll-aways fact sheet (Comcare)