The alarm is being sounded over bad driver behaviour linked to crashes involving transport trucks and other commercial vehicles on roads and highways patrolled by Ontario Provincial Police.
According to the OPP, 31 people have died in road incidents so far this year involving commerical vehicles.
OPP Sergeant Ed Sanchuk says commercial drivers were at-fault in just 14-percent of the collisions between transport trucks and non-commerical vehicles.
"Sometimes people are shocked at some of the statistics that we do encounter. Again, it really comes down to the fact that 86 percent of the crashes were linked to poor behaviour on the part of non-commerical drivers," he says. "I want to ensure that all of commerical drivers know that we know you're good drivers, there's a certain percentage that have been involved in these crashes. We just want to see people get home safely to their families because we've knocked on way too many doors."
Speeding, following too closely and improper passing are among the unsafe actions being listed behind transport truck-involved collisions.
Sanchuk says they do have great commerical vehicle drivers out there.
"Unfortunatley there's a few that give everyone a bad name, just like non-commerical drivers. We have people driving aggressively, trying to cut in between transport trucks. We need people to realize that roadways are communities of themselves that we all need to share, and I'm going to let people know that transport trucks can not stop on a dime," he says.
In 2023, 8,622 of the 77,076 collisions investigated by the OPP involved commercial vehicles.
Sanchuk if you're passing a transport truck give yourself time, room, and distance.
"In the construction zones, people are trying to get ahead of these trucks. Unfortunatley, laneways are running out and we're seeing colissions in our construction zones. If people would slow down and drive according to the road and weather conditions, obey the speed limit, I don't think you'd see so many colissions," he says.
The OPP and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), are joining police services throughout North America for Operation Safe Driver Week, running from July 7 to 13.
During the traffic enforcement and education initiative, officers will be on the lookout for commercial and non-commercial vehicle drivers engaging in risky behaviours.
The OPP and MTO will also ensure commercial drivers are keeping their trucks, equipment, loads and records up to the standards required by law.