Many Ontario motorists give large commercial vehicles a wide berth, and that may be a prudent approach based upon figures released by the OPP. Police accident statistics reveal that there were 315 accidents involving commercial vehicles in the province during the first three months of 2015, but authorities say that very few of those collisions were caused by truck drivers.

On behalf of Joseph Caprara of CBLAW posted in Car Accidents on Friday, April 3, 2015.

Many Ontario motorists give large commercial vehicles a wide berth, and that may be a prudent approach based upon figures released by the OPP. Police accident statistics reveal that there were 315 accidents involving commercial vehicles in the province during the first three months of 2015, but authorities say that very few of those collisions were caused by truck drivers.

An Ontario truck driver interviewed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation spoke of the emotional toll that being involved in a fatal accident can take on commercial vehicle operators. He stated that many drivers have difficulty sleeping after a serious collision and that many of his colleagues had stopped driving trucks completely after a serious incident.

The interview came in the wake of a transport truck accident on Highway 69 near Pointe au Baril that claimed the lives of three people, including an infant. Police say that a van containing five people pulled onto the highway directly into the path of the truck on March 19. The family was heading home after attending a hockey tournament in southern Ontario at the time of the collision. The truck driver suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Many lawsuits stemming from truck accidents are brought on behalf of passenger vehicle occupants against truck drivers or trucking companies, but sometimes it is the car or SUV driver who is sued. Truck drivers seldom suffer catastrophic injuries when their vehicles strike a car, but the emotional distress caused by a serious accident or even a near-miss can make it difficult for them to continue working. A personal injury lawyer may pursue a civil action seeking compensation for psychological trauma when negligent actions cause foreseeable emotional distress.

Source:CBC News Sudbury, “Northern Ontario trucker wants other drivers to slow down,” March 26, 2015