Long weekend exodus gets off to rough start
Posted May 18, 2012 6:54 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The long weekend exodus of drivers from the GTA got off to a rough start with two accidents on Highway 400 on Friday, and a crash that left a man dead in North Peterborough.
The driver died Friday afternoon after his vehicle slammed into a parked flatbed truck on County Road 507 north of Flynn’s Corner. County Road 507 was closed for several hours but has since reopened.
Earlier in the day, police closed Highway 400 in both directions south of Highway 89 after a truck apparently crashed through the guardrail around 12:30 p.m. The northbound lanes reopened about an hour later. The southbound side reopened shortly after 2 p.m.
It’s not yet known what caused the accident. No injuries have been reported.
And another accident snarled traffic on the northbound lanes of the 400 at Teston Road.
The OPP is out in force looking for the usual suspects on the highways, including impaired, aggressive and distracted drivers.
Aside from bad drivers and people not wearing their seatbelts, officers will also be checking for unsafe vehicles.
“We’re going to be out all weekend long with all of our available resources,” OPP Sgt. Dave Woodford said at a rest stop at Hwy. 400 and Major Mackenzie Drive on Friday morning. Those resources don’t only apply to the highways. They also include ATVs to monitor trails and marine units out to ensure boaters are safe.
“We want everyone to be safe this weekend — to get to where they’re going and then back again.
Woodford also reminded people heading up to the cottage or trailer park to ensure all attachments on vehicles are installed properly.
“These [trailers] have been sitting, probably all winter long and they can seize up very easily,” he said.
“You’ve got to take that extra time and just ensure everything is secure in the trailer as well as the attachments.”
