A truck driver has been sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in prison for a crash that killed a two-year-old girl and seriously injured her parents on the Calder Freeway at Diggers Rest in December 2021. Matthew Livingston, 44, pleaded guilty to charges including culpable driving causing death, with prosecutors alleging he was fatigued and micro-sleeping before the collision.
The crash occurred when Livingston's 43-tonne semi-trailer hit the family's Volkswagen at 86 kph as they slowed for roadworks. The impact triggered a six-car pile-up. Two-year-old Harriet Peckitt died at the scene, while her parents, Felicity Stewart and Simon Peckitt, suffered life-altering injuries. Ms Stewart endured 54 days of post-traumatic amnesia before learning of her daughter's death.
County Court Judge Michael Tinney stated that Livingston missed multiple opportunities to brake as traffic slowed for roadworks with a 40 kph speed limit. The judge noted Livingston was not fit to drive, citing his conduct in the 20 minutes before the crash. Livingston had worked 16-hour days and falsified logbooks in the days prior, according to prosecutors.
Outside court, Mr Peckitt called for systemic changes in the heavy-vehicle industry, urging the national regulator to mandate digital logbook tracking and improve safety at roadwork sites. He said the family is focused on recovering a sense of normality for their younger daughter, who survived the crash unharmed.
