Rachael D'Amore, CP24.com
Ontario Provincial Police are rolling out a new initiative today aimed at reducing inattentive driving and other “dangerous behaviours” behind the wheel of transport trucks on major highways.
During the five-day blitz, from Dec. 11 to 15, OPP officers will patrol Ontario’s highways in transport trucks of their own.
By positioning patrolling officers in commercial vehicles, OPP commissioner Brad Blair said that officers get an “enhanced vantage point” that will help them better detect inattentive truck drivers.
“Regardless of what the causes or factors are, our OPP data tells us that the driver of the transport truck is at fault in 65 per cent of the 6,200 collisions we’ve investigated this year,” Blair told reporters at a news conference on Monday.
As of Dec. 8, 2017, Blair said the OPP has responded to 6,200 collisions involving transport trucks where 87 lives have been claimed in 72 of those crashes.
Of those crashes, 1,000 resulted in people suffering varying injuries, some serious and some “life altering.”
“In light of our latest collision data, I believe I’ve already answered the question as to why we are conducting a highly coordinated enforcement initiative that focuses on commercial motor vehicle safety,” Blair said.
The initiative comes about six weeks after OPP commissioner Vince Hawkes announced new charges against three transport truck drivers in three deadly highway crashes.
Hawkes attributed the “completely preventable” collisions to “truck driver inattentiveness.”
At the time, he said transport truck drivers should consider themselves “on notice” as OPP work to clamp down on “error, negligence and poor driving behaviour.”
Despite the call for safer driving, Blair said that distracted driving continues to be a problem on OPP patrolled highways.
“Since the time of that announcement, we’ve had two collisions that were very horrific,” he said.
“When travelling at highway speeds, the damage that is caused by transport truck collisions is often substantial. Consider the socioeconomic impact of these collisions to Ontario when you add up the loss of life, medical treatment, legal costs, rehabilitation, loss productivity, property damage and the disruption to the movements of goods on some of the busiest transportation corridors in North America.”
Along with distracted driving, OPP officers will be looking out for aggressive and impaired driving, speeding, trucks following too closely and hours of service violations.
Blair added that while the blitz is targeting transport truck drivers, regular motorists should be on alert too.
“I want to remind you all that a majority of commercial vehicle drivers in Ontario are safe drivers and we know that and I know the public also knows that and supports that – the majority are safe,” he said.
“We’ll be looking at all driver behaviors and actions that are in violation of the Highway Safety Act.”
Ontario Provincial Police are rolling out a new initiative today aimed at reducing inattentive driving and other “dangerous behaviours” behind the wheel of transport trucks on major highways.
Rachael D'Amore CP24 . com Ontario Provincial Police are rolling out a new initiative today aimed at reducing inattentive driving and other dangerous behaviours behind the wheel of transport trucks on major highways During the five-day blitz from Dec. 11 to 15 OPP officers will patrol Ontario’s highways in transport trucks of their own By positioning patrolling officers in commercial vehicles OPP commissioner Brad Blair said that officers get an enhanced vantage point that will help them better detect inattentive truck drivers Regardless of what the causes or factors are our OPP data tells us that the driver of the transport truck is at fault in 65 per cent of the 6,200 collisions we’ve investigated this year Blair told reporters at a news conference on Monday As of Dec. 8, 2017 Blair said the OPP has responded to 6,200 collisions involving transport trucks where 87 lives have been claimed in 72 of those crashes Of those crashes 1,000 resulted in people suffering varying injuries some serious and some life altering In light of our latest collision data I believe I’ve already answered the question as to why we are conducting a highly coordinated enforcement initiative that focuses on commercial motor vehicle safety Blair said The initiative comes about six weeks after OPP commissioner Vince Hawkes announced new charges against three transport truck drivers in three deadly highway crashes Hawkes attributed the completely preventable collisions to truck driver inattentiveness At the time he said transport truck drivers should consider themselves on notice as OPP work to clamp down on error negligence and poor driving behaviour Despite the call for safer driving Blair said that distracted driving continues to be a problem on OPP patrolled highways Since the time of that announcement we’ve had two collisions that were very horrific he said When travelling at highway speeds the damage that is caused by transport truck collisions is often substantial Consider the socioeconomic impact of these collisions to Ontario when you add up the loss of life medical treatment legal costs rehabilitation loss productivity property damage and the disruption to the movements of goods on some of the busiest transportation corridors in North America Along with distracted driving OPP officers will be looking out for aggressive and impaired driving speeding trucks following too closely and hours of service violations Blair added that while the blitz is targeting transport truck drivers regular motorists should be on alert too I want to remind you all that a majority of commercial vehicle drivers in Ontario are safe drivers and we know that and I know the public also knows that and supports that the majority are safe he said We’ll be looking at all driver behaviors and actions that are in violation of the Highway Safety Act