The Ontario Provincial Police have responded to more than 3,000 crashes involving transport trucks so far in 2018.
25 of these incidents have involved fatalities, up 25 per cent compared to this time last year.
Mike Del Brocco, a transport truck driver, said that it’s not just the truck drivers—people need to be more careful, too.
“Everyone should be equal to watch out, the truckers have to watch out for the small cars, and the small cars have to watch out for the truckers,” he said.
Del Brocco explained that his truck is capped at a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour, but even with that adjusted speed, trucks take a lot longer to stop due to their air brakes and weight.
He said if people leave more room for trucks, there would be fewer accidents, as well.
Another factor in truck safety is proper loading.
The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario said it is the drivers’ responsibilities to ensure that their load is safe and contained within the body.
“People are dying because of someone’s inattention, someone’s laziness or complacency in not doing proper maintenance,” said Sgt. Kerry Schmidt of the OPP.
A two-day safety blitz began Wednesday to ensure safety measures are being taken seriously.
The Canadian Trucking Alliance issued a statement calling for a national plan that targets carriers who do not promote safety and compliance.
