Transport truck driver facing charges after collision closes Highway 401 for eight hours

The eastbound lanes of Highway 401 were closed for just over eight hours last night after the Lennox and Addington (L&A) County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a two-vehicle collision just east of County Road 4.

On Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, at approximately 6:50 p.m., officers from the L&A County OPP responded to the collision on Highway 401 just east of County Road 4 in the eastbound lanes.

According to a release from the OPP, a transport truck and an SUV were involved.

“The transport truck was traveling westbound when it left the road crossing the center median and up onto the eastbound lanes,” police said. “The SUV was travelling eastbound and had to swerve to avoid hitting the transport truck. The SUV was damaged by debris from the transport truck as it narrowly missed hitting them. There was one person in the transport truck and two people in the SUV. All three people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.”

The driver of the transport truck was charged with careless driving and making an unsafe move.

Police said an emergency detour route was set up and the eastbound lanes remained closed for the investigation and road clean-up until 3:15 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 3, 2023.