Trailer hitch smashes St. Catharines woman’s windshield on QEW; OPP appeals to witnesses
The OPP is lauding composure of a St. Catharines woman who survived a potentially deadly incident on the QEW near Grimsby Wednesday.
The woman was driving a silver Lexus 330 SUV Niagarabound at Bartlett Road in Grimsby at about 2:30 p.m. when a trailer hitch impaled itself in her windshield.
Overcoming shock and limited visibility because of the cracked and broken windshield, she manoeuvred the SUV to the shoulder safely from the middle lane and called for help. She wasn’t injured.
“When you see the pictures, it easily could have been tragic,” said Const. Rob Knight of the Niagara OPP detachment. “It went partly through the windshield. She had very poor visibility and she was in the middle lane. It was traumatic.
“She stayed composed and showed a great deal of aptitude. A situation like this happens so quickly, and the driver reacted appropriately and safely — and that is not always the case.”
The OPP is looking for witnesses. Charges can be laid under the Highway Traffic Act.
Knight said drivers need to ensure their vehicles are well maintained and all items and attachments are secure.
Knight said the most likely scenario is that the trailer hitch wasn’t secured properly on the back of a vehicle. It eventually detached itself from the cradle and bounced on the highway before plunging into the windshield of the SUV.
“There are a lot of different parts and makes of trailer hitches out there,” Knight said. “Some are original equipment. Some are
aftermarket. The OPP has experts that can do further investigations, but we need witnesses that saw the incident or the vehicle. They could provide descriptors of the vehicle so we can narrow our search.”
Under the Highway Traffic Act, a driver is guilty of an offence if “any part of a vehicle or anything affixed to a vehicle becomes detached from the vehicle while it is on a highway.”
If it is a commercial vehicle, the minimum fine on conviction is $400 and the maximum fine is $20,000. If it is a private vehicle, the minimum fine is $100 and the maximum fine is $2,000. The court can also suspend the driver’s licence for a maximum of 60 days.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has information, can contact the OPP at 905-356-1311.