Bridge Abutment Impact By Tractor-Trailer on Hwy 401

While the large destruction caused by heavy truck impacts draws our attention, we fail to acknowledge the danger that truckers face when the roadway infrastructure is insufficient to protect them. The above photo uploaded on the OPP Twitter account shows two tractor-trailers that we involved in a collision a few hours earlier and one them struck a bridge abutment. Drivers of smaller vehicles are generally protected from impacts with such immovable objects. That does not hold true for drivers of heavy trucks. In many locations along Hwy 401 heavy trucks reach 50% of the total traffic volume or more. Yet if a truck driver is involved in an incident that carries the truck toward the roadside there is little or no protection from further consequences. In fact, in many instances roadside structures such as guardrails are too low or weak causing the rollover of a heavy truck and increasing the chances of injury or death. This is a reality that we do not wish to discuss because the solution is costly and not easy to implement.