Coroner’s review needed in truck-related deaths

A coroner’s review of truck-related deaths on Ontario’s highways is long overdue, Toronto critical injury lawyer Patrick Brown tells the Toronto Star.

Brown, a partner with McLeish Orlando LLP, makes his comments in connection with a fatal crash in Vaughan involving a fuel tanker and has road safety advocates calling for a coroner’s review into deaths on the 400 series highways.

Lost control

An OPP spokesperson told the newspaper it appears the fuel tanker lost control and police are looking into “whether or not there was a mechanical defect.”

A review would look at similar cases and provide the government with best practices on how to improve safety, the article states.

Brown tells the newspaper he would like to see the coroner make safety recommendations around trucks in particular.

“When they do crash, it usually results in pretty devastating injuries if not death,” he tells the Star, adding the recommendations could include restricting their lanes or the hours that trucks can drive during rush hour.