Burlington OPP is urging motorists to drive more carefully after a series of collisions that have snarled major highways in the region in recent weeks.
The OPP didn't release specific numbers, but said since Labour Day there's been a spate of fender benders and other minor accidents.
"The sun is glaring in their eyes, traffic is heavy, people are rushed … people are getting wrecked out all over the place," said OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt.
Last Thursday, a woman was rushed to hospital after a three-vehicle collision that brought traffic on Hwy. 403 to a standstill near Aberdeen. Two days before that, an Ornge helicopter was forced to touch down on Hwy. 403 in Mississauga after a major crash there.
It's not just the major collisions that disrupt traffic, though. On the GTA's congested highways, small collisions can have a "huge" effect on traffic, Schmidt said. Not only can a small crash take out 30 per cent of a roadway, but it also adds a visual distraction.
Plus, one collision can cause what police call secondary collisions, sometimes kilometres behind the original collision site.
"Once you start with the first collision, it's almost exponential," Schmidt said.
He said the current angle of the sun — which will change on Nov. 2 when the time falls back an hour — has been a factor in a number of the collisions. The OPP also issued a series of driving tips in a news release, including:
- Always keep a safe following distance behind other vehicles.
- Avoid distraction and focus on driving.
- Be aware your surroundings and avoid unnecessary lane changes.
- Drive at a safe and responsible speed that's appropriate for the traffic.
- Be aware of heavier traffic volume and plan ahead for longer travel times.
As a bonus tip, Schmidt urged drivers to plan alternate routes that could help them get around collisions. You wouldn't believe how many people don't know their community's roadways well enough to get around a bad accident or closed roadway, he said.
Schmidt also called on motorists to stop trying to "gain an advantage" to get out of traffic by driving dangerously. Nobody likes traffic, he said, but some of those maneuvers put others at risk.
"It's a shared responsibility," he said of highway driving.
"Everybody needs to work together … if we could all just take an extra moment of care we'd probably all get there more reliably."
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