OPP blitz looking for distracted truck drivers
THE ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE this week kicked off Operation Safe Trucking, a province-wide commercial motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement blitz targeting distracted transport truck drivers. Driver inattention leads the list of causes in truck-involved collision, accounting for almost 27 per cent of such crashes.
During the initiative, OPP officers will conduct patrols in truck tractors (transport trucks), giving them a better vantage point for spotting commercial drivers who are distracted or engaged in other dangerous behaviours behind the wheel, police report.
The trucks are being used for the first time during Operation Safe Trucking, the latest OPP enforcement initiative to support its CMV mitigation strategy, which aims to reduce the number of CMV collisions on OPP-patrolled roads.
During the blitz, OPP officers will be targeting CMV moving violations such as distracted, aggressive and impaired driving, speeding, following too closely, occupant restraint and hours of service violations. CMVs found with mechanical, load security or other safety issues will be subject to inspections and enforcement actions in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation.
While the focus of the initiative is on transport trucks, officers will also be addressing dangerous behaviours on the part of all drivers.
“Every year, collisions that involve commercial motor vehicles are in the thousands and they result in significant loss of life. So far this year, the OPP has responded to more than 6,200 transport truckrelated collisions, with 87 people dying in 72 of those crashes. Adding truck tractors to our list of enforcement tools will enhance our officers’ observation and investigative skills during Operation Safe Trucking and future initiatives that focus on commercial motor vehicle safety, said OPP commissioner Vince Hawkes in a release.
DECEMBER 5
7:45 PM | A Wellington County OPP officer was monitoring traffic on County Road 7 near South Street in Elora when he observed a male driving a 2017 Nissan Rogue at a speed that appeared to be well above the posted 50 km/h speed limit. The vehicle was locked on radar in excess of 105km/h. The driver, a 42-year-old Guelph man, was stopped and charged with ‘race a motor vehicle’ contrary to the Highway Traffic Act. His driver’s licence and vehicle were seized for a period of seven days as per statute. He is scheduled to appear in Guelph Provincial Court on January 3.
DECEMBER 6
9:01AM | Sometime between Dec. 2 and Dec. 5, a storage container located at a construction site behind Riverside Public School in Elmira was broken into. Various tools were taken from the William Street site. The investigation is ongoing and police are asking anyone who may have observed a suspicious vehicle or person(s) in the area during that time to contact Waterloo Regional Police at 519-570-9777, ext. 4320 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
DECEMBER 10
10:59 AM | A 31-year-old New Hamburg man was driving a white Pontiac northbound on Nafziger Road near Snyder’s Road West when he lost control of his vehicle, crossed into the other lane of traffic, and struck a southbound black Honda CRV, driven by a 42-year-old Baden man. No injuries were reported, but both vehicles were towed from the scene. The driver of the Pontiac was charged with ‘careless driving.’
8:48 PM | A 21-year old St. Catharines woman was driving a grey Buick eastbound on Lobsinger Line in Woolwich Township when she lost control of her vehicle, leaving the roadway and striking a guardrail. The driver was shaken up but did not receive any injuries. She was subsequently charged with ‘careless driving.’
DECEMBER 11
Waterloo Regional Police responded to a report of a collision on Chilligo Road near Fife Road in Woolwich Township. A Volkswagen Jetta, driven by a 22-year-old Guelph woman, was travelling south on Chilligo Road when the driver lost control on the snow-covered surface, left the roadway and collided with a hydro pole, causing the pole to snap. The driver was treated for minor injuries at the scene and the road remained closed for approximately five hour while hydro crews repaired the pole. The vehicle was towed from the scene. No charges were laid.