Police plan blitz on commercial vehicles

ORILLIA

The OPP, in partnership with the Ministries of Transportation and Environment is set to launch Operation Corridor, an annual highway safety initiative targeting aggressive commercial vehicle drivers and those vehicles that are unsafe on Ontario’s busiest highways.

Operation Corridor began June 14 at 6am and ends June 15 at 6am.  During that 24-hour period, OPP officers will focus on commercial vehicle speed and other aggressive driving behaviour. The MTO and MOE inspectors will conduct truck inspections, looking for signs of poor maintenance, environmental violations and mechanical problems.

“Commercial vehicles have the potential to cause significant damage when involved in collisions, endangering the lives of the many people who travel Ontario’s highways,: said Deputy Commissioner Larry Beechey, Provincial Commander of the OPP Traffic Safety and Operational Support.

Chief Superintendent Don Bell, Divisional Commander, OPP Highway Safety Division said, “What makes Operation Corridor highly effective is that those commercial vehicles that are identified as being aggressive or unsafe are subject to immediate intervention and maybe taken out of service until remedial action is taken.”

OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis said, “Operation Corridor is an excellent opportunity to educate commercial vehicle drivers about the importance of safe driving habits. When you consider the high volume of large, load-bearing commercial trucks on our highways each hour of each day, it is imperative that those who drive them are 100 per cent compliant with the rules of the road because it will ultimately save lives.”

He added, “Ontario highways are among the safest in North America. Even though commercial truck traffic has increased, there has been a decrease in fatal collisions involving large trucks over the past two decades. Safety initiatives like Operation Corridor help keep aggressive and unsafe commercial vehicles off our roads, making them safer for everyone.”

June 15, 2012