A transport driver is facing a number of charges after running into a snow plow on Highway 401.
Chatham-Kent OPP say it happened near Kent Bridge Road around 11:45 a.m. on Friday.
Police say the investigation revealed a westbound Commercial Motor Vehicle collided into the back of a Snow-removal vehicle, causing the snow-removal vehicle to enter the centre median and roll onto its side. Both drivers were treated for minor injuries.
Edward Turner, 62, of Chatham has been charged with careless driving.
The group, Build the Barrier, is using the incident to highlight the dangers on Highway 401.
The group says in a statement "Today’s highway chaos is the second time this week that OPP have had their hands full responding to Carnage Alley collisions. Just two days ago, an OPP officer was struck by a pickup truck and injured, there were multiple collisions and two different incidents where multiple transports collided and entered the median at various points along Highway 401 in Chatham-Kent in the span of several hours."
“This week has reinforced the desperate need for a concrete median barrier”, stated Alysson Storey, founder of Build the Barrier, a grassroots group advocating for concrete median barriers between Tilbury and London. “We have a commitment from Minister Kathryn McGarry to get them done, but we don’t have a timeline. We must accelerate this process because the sooner it gets built, the sooner lives will be saved.”
The province’s initial plan calls for the installation of high-tension cable barriers. Minister Kathryn McGarry tells CTV News they will installed over 68 kilometres this year, and should be complete by 2021.
McGarry says the process to build the concrete median may take up to 12 years because environmental assessments must be done before the stretch of the 401 is widened to six lanes.
There was another dangerous scene on Highway 401 in Lakeshore on Friday.
The OPP say an officer was standing by with a vehicle awaiting a tow around 12:30 p.m. when an empty car hauler tractor trailer left the eastbound lanes, narrowly missing the vehicle and cruiser stopped on the south shoulder.
The tractor trailer came to rest after striking a light standard at the County Road 25 (Puce Road) eastbound off ramp.
There were no injuries and both vehicles were removed from the scene.
One eastbound lane of Highway 401 and the County Road 25 off ramp were closed for approximately two hours.
Essex County OPP say they responded to about 19 motor vehicle collisions since 6 a.m. Friday.
In most of the occurrences, police say driving too fast for conditions was the causal factor leading to the collisions.
Police urge motorists that must drive in hazardous weather conditions to drive slowly at a speed appropriate for the weather and road conditions and be ready to stop quickly to avoid collisions.
