NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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COUNTY OF WELLINGTON - Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have responded to two fatal collisions in two days on Wellington County Roadways.
On March 27, 2018 at approximately 6:30 a.m. a cyclist was struck and killed on County 7 near County 51, Township of Guelph-Eramosa, and on March 28, 2018 at approximately 3:45 p.m. the operator of a motorcycle was killed when his motorcycle collided with a car on County 7 at Sideroad 4, Township of Centre Wellington. Both men were residents of Fergus.
While the investigation into both collisions is continuing the OPP want to remind everyone that safety on the roads is everyone's responsibility.
Now that spring has arrived more cyclists and motorcycles will be back on the road. The operators of bikes and motorcycles have a responsibility to ensure that their equipment adheres to the safety requirements outlined in the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) and they are operating their bikes and motorcycles according to the rules set out in the HTA.
Drivers of motor vehicles are asked to slow down and share the roadways. Excessive speed and aggressive driving behaviours continue to threaten the safety of all other road users.
These behaviours include following too closely, unsafe passing and lane changes, failing to yield right-of-way, road rage and other dangerous, high-risk driving behaviours.
"The past two days we have lost two members of our community in devastating crashes. Families are left to pick up the pieces and everyone involved in the incident suffer. Officers will continue to patrol our roadways in an effort to make them safer but we need everyone to accept responsibility for their actions on the road," said Detachment Commander Scott Lawson.
"Easter Weekend has been marked as a traffic campaign to ensure drivers are using seatbelts, however Wellington County OPP officers will be also targeting drivers and operators of vehicles that are behaving in a way that puts everyone at risk. We don't want more families to suffer the pain of losing a loved one on the road."
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