A recent joint commercial motor vehicle safety initiative along the Highway 17 corridor in Renfrew County resulted in more than 27 charges being laid.
March 28, members of the Upper Ottawa Valley, Renfrew, and Killaloe detachments of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), with the assistance of the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), conducted a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) safety initiative in Renfrew County.
One CMV driver was charged with impaired driving under the Criminal Code, say police. Other notable offences include a CMV with an oversized load entering Ontario from Quebec with no oversize load permit. A radar detector was seized, and the driver was charged with speeding and use of a speed measuring warning device.
According to a press release, officers and police resources were strategically deployed to locations on the Highway 17 corridor based upon local analytics involving CMVs. Officers focused on mechanical safety of the vehicles and unsafe driving behaviours.
During the safety initiative 21 CMVs were stopped and inspected by OPP and MTO officers. Officials say four CMVs were taken out of service for issues that included mechanical defects, load security and safety issues. Twenty-seven charges were laid under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) for a variety of offences, including: speeding; annual inspection violations; following too closely; distracted driving; and failure to wear a seatbelt.
Police say further CMV safety initiatives are planned in 2024 and officers remain vigilant on a daily basis for all types of violations that put the safety of all road users at risk.
(Sherry Haaima)
