A six-seater golf buggy carrying nine people that crashed in 2016, critically injuring a baby and her mother, was overloaded and its brake pads were so worn they were useless, an investigation has found.
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The company that owned the buggy, Valet Services Pty Ltd, has been fined $220,000 after an investigation into the Hamilton Island crash.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, which led the investigation, said the fine was imposed in Proserpine Magistrates Court on Thursday, two-and-a-half years after the crash.
On March 10, 2016, a Valet Services employee was taking eight guests, including three infants, from their accommodation to the island marina using the buggy, with a trailer attached.
The golf buggy and trailer gained speed down a steep road after the foot brakes and park brake failed and it was unable to negotiate a turn.
The vehicle hit concrete road guttering, tipped over and hit another stationary buggy.
Two helicopters and a volunteer rescue boat were dispatched to take the patients to mainland hospitals following the crash, which happened about 8.20am.
A nine-month-old girl with facial fractures and her 30-year-old mother, who suffered head injuries and broken bones, were airlifted to Townsville Hospital in critical conditions with brain bleeds.
A 37-year-old man with facial injuries and a 66-year-old man with multiple leg injuries, understood to be tourists visiting from Britain, were taken to Mackay Hospital.
A family of four, including a father, mother, three-year-old boy and 10-month-old baby girl were taken via a volunteer rescue boat to Proserpine Hospital.
The employee and all passengers still suffered ongoing psychological injuries, according to WHSQ.
The WHSQ investigation found the trailer was overloaded, the buggy’s brake linings were so worn they were inoperable and the company had an "ad hoc" maintenance regime.
During the court proceedings, CCTV vision of the crash was shown, which magistrate Simon Young described as "confronting". He said the victim impact statements were "distressing".
In deciding the punishment, Mr Young took into account the company's unsafe practices, the impact on the victims as well as the company's guilty plea and otherwise clean record.
Valet Services was also ordered to pay court costs of $2000 but no conviction was recorded.
