Ontario Provincial Police responded to a dangerous incident involving a commercial motor vehicle on Highway 17 near Upsala last week. OPP said the situation was caused by a wheel that had completely detached from the transport truck while it was in operation on the major northern Ontario thoroughfare. Police confirmed that both the driver of the vehicle and the commercial vehicle operating company have been charged in relation to the incident. The charges included driving a commercial motor vehicle with a detached part and wheel separation of a commercial motor vehicle. The provincial police force used the incident to remind all drivers, particularly those operating commercial vehicles, of the importance of proactive maintenance. “Mechanical failures can cause serious harm,” OPP said in a social media post on Jan. 8 related to the incident. “Make sure to check your equipment before every trip,” police added. OPP also included a broader safety message in its post, saying that regular and thorough vehicle inspections are a critical component in keeping all drivers safe on Ontario roadways.
