Dash cam footage captures frightening moments on Highway 89 in Mulmur

Unsafe passing on Hwy 89 scares Mulmur residents A transport truck passing a vehicle on Hwy 89 forces motorists to swerve off the road to avoid being hit in Mulmur.

Steve Mountford says Highway 89 in Mulmur has become a hotbed for aggressive driving.

"Is it really that important to get where you're going that little bit faster to put other's lives at risk?" the Mulmur resident said.

Mountford is referring to a recent incident involving a tractor-trailer driver caught on dash cam footage driving into oncoming traffic as it passed a vehicle, causing several motorists to swerve off the road at the last minute to avoid a collision.

"It certainly makes it scarier whenever you see these types of vehicles doing that aggressive driving. It is so shocking," Mountford says.

The incident isn't an isolated one, according to Mountford, who notes an uptick in careless driving behaviours on Highway 89.

OPP Sgt. Terri-Ann Pencarinha shares Mountford's concerns after viewing the footage.

"Aggressive driving behaviour is always concerning, but especially when it's these huge commercial motor vehicles. The results of a collision involving one of those can be catastrophic," Pencarinha says.

Police urge witnesses of these driving behaviours to try and take down a licence plate number and a description of the vehicle and driver, who could face charges for speeding, passing when unsafe or even stunt driving.

And Pencarinha says to contact the police immediately.

"Our best chances at identifying the driver, speaking with the driver, and potentially laying charges are at the time of the incident," the OPP sergeant adds.

Ontario is the only province where it's not actually illegal to pass on a double solid line. The marking just suggests extra caution.

"All it would take is somebody just being a little bit distracted and not seeing this coming, not expecting it, and it could've ended very badly," Mountford notes.

In this incident, the OPP credits the lead driver of the oncoming traffic for the awareness to swerve onto the shoulder in a situation that could have ended tragically.