Brampton personal injury lawyers know from experience that Ontario’s 400 series highways have a reputation for being risky and accident prone. For people who live and work in the southern locations of Ontario, these highways form an essential part of their daily commute. But they’re also the location for high volume traffic, regular shut-downs and closures due to accidents and delays caused by winter weather conditions.

Accidents are not just “accidental” – they’re usually the result of someone’s fault or negligence, or the flouting of safety norms for various reasons.

Catastrophic injuries can result from accidents on such high speed expressways and they leave a trail of destruction and irreversible problems in their wake. If you or a dear one has suffered injuries in a motor-vehicle accident, whether as a driver, passenger, pedestrian, bicyclist etc, contact the nearest personal injury lawyer in Brampton. You may be entitled to compensation.

The 400 Series Highways

The system of controlled-access highways known as the 400-series highways in Southern Ontario are under the provincial jurisdiction of Ontario and regulated by the province’s Ministry of Transportation. They’re built to high design standards, have a regulated speed limit and are monitored by various sophisticated traffic-management and collision-avoidance systems.

Although they initially recorded very low accident rates, some of them are currently under the scanner in television programs like Discovery Channel reality shows like Heavy Rescue :401 which focus on rescue operations, police officers and towing vehicles which help to clear the area when accidents happen.

Highway 401 crossing Toronto is the busiest stretch of expressway in the world! Statistics show that nearly 400,000 vehicles use the 400 series highways every day. Considering these figures, the accident figures are surprisingly low.

The Ontario traffic authorities have done exemplary work to minimize risks as far as the road conditions are concerned. The lower speed limits and the plentiful room provided for turning or merging, coupled with the installation of the Tall Wall that prevents trailer trucks from crossing over the barriers into oncoming lanes are features that certainly reduce the risks.

Safety Issues

Yet, accidents can and do happen on these routes. Road conditions, visibility, driver distraction, cellphone-usage, fatigue, unforeseen events are the most common causes.

Certain “hot spots” were identified and the police have encouraged drivers to exercise extra caution while passing through these areas.

Additionally, road safety features mandated from time to time have ensured the reduction in collisions caused by large transportation trucks and trailer trucks. The trucking industry is concerned about the risks and has taken important steps to ensure safety. Stephen Laskowski, President of the Ontario Trucking Association opines, “…we need to look at can we get better and the answer is yes.” He also felt that human error accounts for most at-fault accidents.

Features like speed governors, electronic trucking logs, tracking driver hours of service, electronic stability control management, mandatory entry-level training programs for drivers etc certainly go a long way in keeping the 400 series safer.

Experienced Brampton car accident lawyers can provide the right information, advice and assistance and ensure that your rights are protected.