As officers wrap up their Operation Safe Trucking campaign tomorrow, the OPP is reporting 4,816 Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) collisions so far this year.
Forty-six of the collisions resulted in fatalities, with two separate incidents collectively taking the lives of five people. By this time last year (mid-August, 2018), the OPP had responded to 4,666 CMV collisions, 39 of which were fatal.
OPP data analytics also reveal that 3,857 of the total number of incidents this year were multi-vehicle collisions, in contrast to 959 incidents that involved a single vehicle.
CMV-related crashes account for 11 per cent of the 42,200 collisions on OPP-patrolled roads so far this year but have been linked to 30 per cent of the fatal crashes.
The OPP cautions that the data should not be interpreted as commercial drivers being at-fault in each of the collisions and that the responsibility also falls on drivers of other vehicles involved in the incidents.
"Improper lane changes, following too closely and driving too fast for the conditions remain leading factors in Commercial Motor Vehicle collisions on OPP-patrolled roads," says Chief Superintendent Alison Jevons. "If every commercial driver and motorist makes a commitment to be an exemplary driver who shares the road safely at all times, there is no question that we would see a dramatic decrease in these types of collisions."
"Everyone has a role to play to keep our roads and highways safe," added Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General. "While commercial drivers must comply with traffic laws, drive at a safe speed and distance, they also have the added responsibility of complying with all inspection requirements, adhering to recording their hours of service and making sure loads are secure."
