A transport truck driver was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries following a single-vehicle crash on Highway 401 near Cornwall, Ont., early Monday morning. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to the scene around 6:30 a.m. after the truck veered off the highway and rolled into a ditch.
Details of the incident
The crash occurred on the eastbound lanes of Highway 401 near County Road 23, about 10 kilometres west of Cornwall. According to OPP Constable Tania Vaughan, the driver, a 45-year-old man from Montreal, was the sole occupant of the vehicle. He was extricated by firefighters and airlifted to a trauma centre in Ottawa with non-life-threatening injuries.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, but Vaughan said early indications suggest the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel. The truck was hauling a load of produce, which spilled onto the highway, causing a temporary closure of the eastbound lanes for cleanup.
Impact and response
The highway was reopened around 10 a.m. after crews cleared the wreckage and debris. No other vehicles were involved. The OPP reminds drivers to take breaks and avoid driving while fatigued, especially during long hauls. According to Transport Canada, fatigue is a factor in approximately 20% of fatal collisions involving commercial trucks.
