Blog Post #22 – Operation Corridor Was a Success

The OPP, along with safety inspectors from the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of the Environment checked 1431 commercial vehicles on some of the busiest highways in Ontario during a successful 24-hour safety blitz. The final total of charges reached 355. This compares to 1,532 vehicles stopped and only 285 charges laid during the same time frame last year. Inspectors checked trucks for poor maintenance, environmental violations and any mechanical problems.

A news release was made on August 16, 2010 providing fair warning to all drivers on the road. In fact, Operation Corridor was initiated in 2007, and has been yearly ever since.

It seems that most owner/operators or fleet owners save on safety and maintenance issues when curbing budget requirements. Safety and safety training are always the first to go when things get out of hand. I am glad that our OPP officers and the two Ministries are being vigilant in their fight for safer commercial vehicles on the road. It wasn’t so long ago that we recall the wheels coming off a tractor trailer along the 401 and the same wheels ended up in the front seat of an automobile, killing the driver. If everyone in the commercial truck industry took safety seriously then safety inspections would not be required and safety blitzes unnecessary.

Quotes

“Commercial trucks have the potential to cause significant damage in collisions, endangering the lives of the many people who travel Ontario’s busiest highways. What makes Operation Corridor highly effective is that commercial vehicles that are identified as being unsafe are subject to immediate intervention and taken out of service until remedial action is taken”. – Deputy Commissioner Larry Beechey, Provincial Commander, OPP Traffic Safety & Operational Support.

“Operation Corridor is an excellent opportunity to educate commercial vehicle drivers about the importance of having a flawless safety checklist. 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 this checklist because it will ultimately save lives”. – Chief Superintendent Bill Grodzinski, Divisional Commander, OPP Highway Safety Division.

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

Safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Remember — In Ontario, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”

‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.

Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Foundation Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.