(ELGIN COUNTY, ON) – On July 27th, 2016 around 12:00pm an OPP officer stopped on the shoulder of the 401 highway eastbound lanes just east of Furnival Rd. This was to assist a motorist that was changing a flat tire. Both the officer’s vehicle and the other vehicle were not on the traveled portion of the roadway off on the shoulder. The officer had his emergency lights activated to indicate to traffic to slow down and move over. The officer also set up flares along the white “fog line”.
To their dismay a garbage hauling tractor trailer failed to move over and at the last moment made a sudden steering correction. This caused all the flares to be knocked over. No contact was made with the police or other vehicle.
As a result of the incident Rajvir Deol age 32 of Stoney Creek Ontario is charged with:
Careless driving contrary to section 130 of the Highway Traffic Act
Fail to move into another lane for emergency vehicle or tow truck: if safe to do contrary to section 159(3) of the Highway Traffic Act
Elgin OPP would like to remind drivers that in 2015, the law was amended to include slowing down and, on multi-lane highways, moving over for tow trucks parked on the roadside with their amber lights flashing. The law carries a fine range of $400 to $2,000 and three demerit points.
Since 1989, five OPP officers have died when they or their roadside vehicles were struck by approaching vehicles.
Slow down! And move over this long weekend it’s the law.
