Another deadly week for Truckers in Ontario

Five fatalities and four critical injuries

STATEMENT by Truckers for Safer Highways:

It is with deep sadness that we, Truckers for Safer Highways, find ourselves addressing yet another tragic week on Ontario’s roads. The ongoing lack of proper enforcement and insufficient training standards for commercial truck drivers continues to put everyone at risk. Weeks like January 19th to January 25th may become alarmingly more frequent if action is not taken. For many of us, trucking has shifted from being a profession to feeling like a daily battle for survival on the highways.

This past week alone, there were five fatalities and four critical injuries reported. Additionally, five incidents involved school buses, including one that left a school bus driver hospitalized with serious injuries. These numbers are not just statistics, they represent real lives forever altered.

Since March 2021, Truckers for Safer Highways has been advocating for significant reforms in the trucking industry, focusing on licensing, training, and enforcement. While I am proud to have recently joined this collective effort, it is deeply disheartening to witness the devastating consequences of government inaction. The events of this past week serve as a stark reminder of the urgency of our mission and the critical changes needed to improve safety for all road users.

As a truck driver myself, alongside tens of thousands of others, I share the same goal: to return home safely to our families after each trip. Unfortunately, the current system has left too many drivers unprepared for the challenges they face on the road, compounded by a lack of meaningful enforcement. The Ministry of Transportation’s enforcement division remains woefully understaffed and under-resourced, unable to adequately oversee the growing volume of trucks traversing Ontario’s highways.

On behalf of Truckers for Safer Highways, including my fellow co-founders Travis McDougall and Jeffrey Orr, I extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives this week and to those critically injured. The survivors of these tragic collisions often endure lifelong physical, emotional, and financial hardships, making it even harder for them to provide for their families.

We remain committed to advocating for safer roads and a stronger, more accountable trucking industry. Change is urgently needed, and we will continue to fight for it—not just for ourselves, but for everyone who shares the road with us.

  Travis Tuttle

  Director, Truckers For Safer Highways