Three closures, two fatalities on same section of 401 in a month

Since the middle of November, the section of Hwy 401 between Cedar Creek Rd in Kitchener and Oxford County Rd. 29 just west of Drumbo, has seen more than its fair share of troubles.

On Nov. 13, a transport truck rear-ended another transport, killing a 26 year-old Brampton man. That crash closed the eastbound lanes from around 7 a.m. to shortly after 5:30 p.m.

It was two weeks later when icy conditions closed that portion of the highway overnight. Several cars and transport trucks ended up in the ditch and needed to be recovered. There were no fatalities.

But that wasn’t the case earlier this week when a 42-year-old tow truck operator from Kitchener was killed after being struck by a passing transport truck. The operator was assisting another motorist at the time.

With this flurry of concerning incidents all coming in the same general area of the highway, it begs the question: is there something about this stretch of highway that makes it more dangerous than others?

According to the OPP, no. “There are some stretches that seem to attract collisions or closures for whatever reason, but as far as specifically a reason about this specific stretch, I don’t have anything to offer.” said Provincial Constable, Matthew Foster.

Cst. Foster was present at all the recent incidents. He was asked if weather was a factor in the fatal truck collision, in particular.

While he couldn’t comment on the investigation, he did say, “Weather in and of itself doesn’t cause collisions, but we have to adjust our driving to the weather. Sometimes that means driving much slower so we don’t skid and slide. It’s everyone’s responsibility to adjust those driving habits.”

Cst. Foster also spoke about Ontario’s Move Over Law, which requires motorists to slow down or change lanes when approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with its lights activated. This law applies to police, fire, EMS and tow truck operators.

“The fines can carry from $490 all the way up to $2,000 plus. Demit points upon conviction and even jail time for up to six months.”

The law is there to protect first responders from exactly what happened this week.

Should you need to pull-over on the highway for a mechanical, medical or any other issue, police have a few ideas on how to protect yourself.

“I would suggest trying to pull over as far as you can to the right in an area that is straight, clear and visible to oncoming traffic.”

Cst. Foster says one option to look for is an emergency turn-around. While you can’t actually use it go the other direction, he says they offer more room if you need to pull-off the highway. He also mentioned avoiding pulling over on large hills or curves because of a lack of visibility.