Motorcycle Rider On Highway 401 Was Seriously Injured By A Container That Flew Off A Vehicle
"If you were hauling cargo make sure your equipment is secured."
The container that fell off a vehicle on Highway 401.
A container fell off a vehicle and hit a motorcyclist on Highway 401 on Tuesday afternoon, which left the motorcycle rider seriously injured.
In a video shared on the OPP Highway Safety Division's Twitter on August 16, OPP Sergeant Kerry Schmidt said a four-foot-by-four-foot sized tote container came off a vehicle as it was "possibly insecured."
\u201cMotorcycle rider struck a tote container that fell from a vehicle. Rider with serious injuries. #TorontoOPP investigating. Other vehicle has been located. #Hwy401/Meadowvale eastbound express lanes closed for investigation.\u201d— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP Highway Safety Division) 1660671168
The motorcycle rider was taken to the trauma centre at a local hospital to be treated for his injuries.
Schmidt said the eastbound express lanes from Highway 401 to Meadowvale Road were closed off to drivers as officers investigated the scene. All of the lanes reportedly opened just after 6 p.m., according to CP24.
In a follow-up tweet, OPP shared a picture of the container that hit the motorcycle driver, which had metal bars protecting the tote.
\u201cMotorcycle rider remains at a trauma centre being treated, #Hwy401/Meadowvale eb express lanes remain blocked for ongoing investigation. The tote fell from another vehicle which the rider collided with. \nIf you were hauling cargo make sure your equipment is secured #RoadSafety.\u201d— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP Highway Safety Division) 1660671168
Provincial police also took the time to remind drivers of a crucial road safety tip: "If you were hauling cargo make sure your equipment is secured."
This is the second road safety tip that OPP had to remind drivers of this month.
On August 9, after he found a "perfectly" inflated tire and wheel on the side of Highway 401, Schmidt asked drivers to pay attention to their car's tires after they get new ones installed to make sure they don't fly off when they're driving around later.
"This is just a deadly situation waiting to happen. So please, like I've said before, check your nuts," Schmidt said.
Narcity reached out to the Toronto OPP detachment but did not immediately hear back before this article was published.