Ontario truck safety improved in 2009; OTA says speed limiters helped

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TORONTO, Ont. — Ontario road fatalities reached their lowest levels in the past 68 years, making the province the safest jurisdiction in North America, according to the Ontario Road Safety Annual Report (ORSAR).

The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) feels its speed limiter law helped contribute to the achievement.

The report indicates that in 2009, there were 564 fatalities on Ontario roads, the lowest level since 1944 and the lowest ever rate per licensed driver. Large truck fatalities also declined to the tune of 24% compared to 2008.

This is the continuation of a steady trend of improved truck safety over the past 20 years. The OTA notes large truck fatalities are down 50% from 1990 to 2009, despite a 59% increase in the number of large trucks registered in the province during that period.

“Safety continues to be the number one priority of the trucking industry,” said David Bradley, president and CEO of the OTA. “The report confirms once again that truck drivers and trucks as a class are the safest drivers and vehicles on the road. We are pleased to see continued improvement in the 2009 results.”

The OTA says the Ministry of Transportation credits the province’s speed limiter law with contributing to the improvement. The association says it hopes to make further safety gains with initiatives including its call for the mandatory use of electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) and stability control systems.

Other highlights of the report include: Of all fatal collisions involving large trucks, the truck driver was not driving properly in just 27% of incidents, down from 36% in 2008; fatal collisions involving trucks represented 17.6% of total fatal collisions, down from 20.6% in 2008; alcohol was a factor in just 1% of fatal incidents involving large trucks; and only 3.3% of vehicles involved in collisions were heavy trucks.

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  • It’s interesting to note that commenters lauding the justices’ decision to rule the speed limiter law as unconstitutional have no comment regarding facts that support the resulting benefits.

  • Ok, it’s great to see the numbers showing a decline in accidents for 2009, but where are the numbers for 2010? 2011? Is there a continual decrease?
    In today’s culture where everything and everyone is linked to a computer, this information should be readily available.
    I’m not saying speed limiters are bad, but I’m not saying their good either.
    Things like this and over-regulation is why I left the industry……good riddance I say.
    Good luck to all of you who continue to ply the asphalt and put up with the BS..!!

  • It’s interesting that 2009 stats are used to show a decline in truck accidents. Was that not the year of the economic meltdown, which saw scores of trucks sitting empty?

    If David Bradley et al are *truly* interested in safety, by all means keep the speed limiters and, since they’ve already shown a willingness to involve government, lobby heavily for mandatory hourly pay for truck drivers, and include the repeal of the federal overtime avoidance laws. Let’s see how serious they really are about safety.