Fatal crashes involving commercial vehicles up 28% over 2020: OPP

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reporting a significant jump in fatal crashes involving commercial vehicles this year.

Between Jan. 1 and June 30, provincial police say they responded to 32 fatal crashes that involved a commercial vehicle, up from 23 during the first six months of last year.

Commercial vehicles have been involved in 2,956 collisions so far this year, up nine per cent over 2020, and account for close to 13 per cent of all crashes on OPP-patrolled roads.

Police say improper lane changes, tailgating, speeding and driver inattention are all factors in the increase.

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OPP will hold their annual Operation Safe Driver campaign from July 11 to 17 to raise safe-driving awareness among all motorists.

1:01 Transport truck crashes, erupts into flames on Hwy. 401 in Colborne

Police say the focus of this year’s campaign is speeding because, despite a drop in traffic last year due to the pandemic, nationally, traffic fatalities increased.

According to the OPP, speeding has been a factor in more than a quarter of crash deaths since 2008.