A recent survey of 600 Ontario truck drivers identifies unsafe passing by other vehicles and poor training as key issues impacting safety on Highways 11 and 17 in Northern Ontario.
The survey, conducted by the Ontario Trucking Association, also listed a lack of truck rest areas among their top five concerns. Complaints from drivers, fleet operators and others about highway safety, particularly in the north, prompted the OTA to conduct the survey.
The top five concerns the respondents have about driving in Northern Ontario include:
- Unsafe passing by other vehicles (84.32%)
- Lack of truck rest areas (83.84%)
- Poorly trained truck drivers (80.00%)
- Lack of safe passing areas for trucks (79.84%)
- Unsafe trucking fleets (65.12%)
The top five solutions respondents gave to address concerns:
- More truck passing and climbing lanes (78.75%)
- More truck rest areas (78.57%)
- Better-trained truck drivers (78.57%)
- More oversight of unsafe trucking fleets (70.21%)
- More heated washroom access for professional drivers (59.06%)
This week, NDP MPPs Guy Bourgouin (Mushkegowuk—James Bay), Lise Vaugeois (Thunder Bay—Superior North), and John Vanthof (Timiskaming—Cochrane) issued a joint statement saying that the Ford government is failing Ontario truckers in the north.
“Northern truckers have spoken loud and clear. Now it is time for the government to listen to those who travel these routes daily,” emphasized Vaugeois, who has worked alongside highway safety advocates Truckers for Safer Highways for over a year. “Truck drivers are calling our office every week to tell us that there needs to be better training and increased oversight. Those training the drivers must also be trained and licensed to train other drivers. Schools are receiving thousands of dollars to train commercial drivers, but many are providing poor training.”
“The survey results highlight what we’ve been advocating for for years,” said Vanthof. “When our highways are unsafe and poorly maintained, lives are lost, and our province is cut in half when truck drivers can’t complete their routes. Failing to make these common-sense solutions the law is not just negligence – it’s worse; lives are on the line. Our solutions are backed with data, supported by advocates, and bolstered by community support. The time for the Conservatives to make Northern Ontario highways safer is now.”
In a news release issued by the NDP on January 16th, 2024, Opposition leader Marit Stiles said, “”Nearly every day, we see Highways 11 and 17 closed due to a tragic collision. The situation has spiraled so far out of control that people are scared to drive to work or to drop their kids off at school. Five deaths within the past month would be unimaginable in Southern Ontario and should serve as a wake-up call. Again and again, the NDP has come up with common-sense solutions for this Ford government to implement and save lives, and they’ve ignored every single one. While the Ford Government is asleep at the wheel, Northern Ontarians are paying with their lives. They cannot afford to wait.”
NDP proposals to improve Northern Highways include:
- Prohibit passing or attempting to pass another vehicle going in the same direction on a highway “Chads law”
- 24/7 staffing of truck inspection station to ensure commercial drivers’ and vehicles’ competency and safety.
- Ensure snow removal on Northern Ontario Highways meets the same standard as Southern Ontario significant routes.
- Improve regulations of trucking schools and better-monitored training processes.
Chad’s Law, Bill 152, was introduced as a private members bill last year by MPP Guy Bourgouin to amend current traffic safety laws – prohibiting passing on a highway painted with double solid yellow lines. Drivers would face a $400 fine and three or more demerit points.
The bill is named for Chad Belanger, who was left with a broken neck, ribs, collarbone and sternum, a bruised heart and lungs, a concussion and PTSD following a crash caused by a truck that crossed a solid double yellow line to pass another vehicle in northern Ontario.
Last November, Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria said, “It is our utmost priority to ensure we have safe and efficient highways across this province and that includes Highway 11. “We have some of the safest roads in North America. We have the trans Ontario standard that is met by this province.”
“This survey proves that the Minister of Transportation’s claims of Ontario having the safest roads couldn’t be further from the truth,” says MPP Guy Bourgouin. “If they continuously ignore senseless deaths and road closures, I have a hard time believing they will listen to this survey and make our roads safer.”
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