Operation Corridor - OPP and partners to target aggressive commercial truck drivers and unsafe trucks

AURORA, ON, June 12, 2013 /CNW/ - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is partnering with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and police services throughout the province to crack down on aggressive commercial truck drivers and unsafe commercial vehicles on Ontario's busiest highways.

Operation Corridor is an annual 24-hour border-to-border highway safety initiative that focuses on high police visibility, enforcement and safety education aimed at commercial truck drivers who travel on major highways.

The initiative runs from Monday, June 17 to Tuesday, June 18, 2013.  During that time, OPP officers will be scanning the roadways for commercial truck drivers who speed or display other forms of aggressive or unsafe driving.

A recent distracted driving survey conducted in Ontario by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators found that 26 per cent of commercial truck drivers were using hand-held devices while driving.  The OPP will be keeping a watchful eye out for this dangerous driving behaviour which, to date this year (2013), has taken more lives than impaired driving on OPP patrolled roads and highways.

At the same time, MTO and MOE inspectors will be watching out for poorly maintained commercial vehicles, those with mechanical problems and those that do not meet emission standards.

According to the OPP, during last year's Operation Corridor campaign, officers laid 400 Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code charges against commercial truck drivers. The charges ranged from speeding and driving out-of-service vehicles to hazardous moving violations and seat belt violations.

"We want commercial truck drivers to remember that collisions involving large trucks can do far more damage and carry a greater risk of serious injury and death than regular passenger cars and other small vehicles," said Deputy Commissioner Larry Beechey, Provincial Commander, Traffic Safety and Operational Support. "Over and above our enforcement efforts with our partners during this campaign, the onus is on every truck driver to ensure the safe movement and condition of their vehicle every single day so that fatal collisions in this category can be eliminated," he added.

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Commercial Vehicle Inspection Requirements

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SOURCE: Ontario Provincial Police

Contacts by OPP Region:

Highway Safety Division:  
Sgt. Dave Woodford    
Phone: [phone]

Central Region:   
Sgt. Peter Leon     
Phone: [phone]

East Region:    
Sgt. Kris Rae     
Phone: [phone] 

Northwest Region:   
Sgt.  Shelley Garr    
Phone: [phone]

Northeast Region:   
Sgt. Jim McGill    
Phone: [phone]

West Region:    
Sgt. Dave Rektor     
Phone: [phone]