What you should do if you get in a collision on a highway in Ontario

Early on July 19, a 77-year-old Mississauga man was struck and killed by a vehicle on Highway 401 near Toronto Pearson Airport.

There was an initial collision involving a truck and an SUV, Ontario Provincial Police said, and following that, the man got out of his SUV and was hit in a second incident involving another vehicle.

The man was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

OPP say it’s not uncommon for people to be struck after getting out of their vehicle following a collision.

On July 6, for instance, another incident occurred on Highway 401 in Mississauga in which two people who were standing outside of their vehicles following a collision were seriously injured when another vehicle crashed into the scene.

“It certainly does happen on a frighteningly regular occurrence, really, across the province,” OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told INsauga.com.

“We want people to make good decisions and be aware of their personal safety,” he added.

So what should you do if you’re involved in a collision on a highway in Ontario?

The need to exchange information

“The problem here is that if you’re involved in a collision with another vehicle, you’re required to exchange information, or at least make arrangements,” Schmidt said.

That could include yelling out of the window to the other driver, telling them to meet you at the next exit if the vehicles are still drivable, he said.

“You’ve got to look at your entire surroundings. Is it safe for you to get out? Can you move your vehicle off to the shoulder, a wide enough shoulder where you can get out quickly and say, ‘Okay, meet me at the next exit, and I’ll see you there in 30 seconds.’ That’s reasonable in the circumstances,” Schmidt said.

If a driver is involved in a single-vehicle crash in which their car is still mobile, they should continue driving, get off the highway and report it to police if needed and their insurance company, Schmidt said.

“But people getting out of your vehicles … you start taking pictures. You start documenting damage. You’re no longer watching traffic,” Schmidt said.

“So getting off the highway as quickly as possible is important, but making sure you do that with the understanding that if there’s another vehicle or driver involved, that they know where you’re going and that they can meet you off the highway as well,” he added.

If a vehicle is no longer drivable

If a vehicle is no longer drivable after a collision, it’s normally best to sit inside as you wait for help.

“Sometimes one vehicle is drivable, the other one’s not. So you may have to wait for a tow truck if your vehicle cannot be moved and at that point is the best place for you is to stay in the protection of that safety case of your vehicle,” Schmidt said.

He said that if you do end up getting hit by another vehicle, “at least you have that safety cage around you.”

“That’s the best-case scenario of a worst-case problem,” he said.

“Make sure your emergency lights … your headlights are turned on. If there’s any power in the vehicle, keep that power on. Call 911 immediately and make yourself visible,” he added.

He said that drivers may have difficulty seeing lights ahead and don’t have an expectation of a stopped vehicle.

“And even more so, if they see a stopped vehicle, they’re going to swerve to avoid it, and they’re going to drive right into areas where there could be people standing, you know, on the shoulders, to avoid the hazard on the highway,” he said.

But it’s important for drivers to assess their situation if their vehicle can’t be moved.

For instance, if you’re stuck on a hill or a curve where oncoming traffic would not be able to see your vehicle in time to stop or move out of the way, it may be best to get out and go somewhere else, Schmidt said.

“If you’re in a very dangerous predicament like that … you need to look at all the options and look at all the possibilities,” he said.

“Assess your ability, if you’re able to exit the vehicle safely and get to a place of safety that’s not in a live lane that’s potentially a further danger to you of a secondary crash.”

Another predicament that drivers could face is if their vehicle catches fire.

If that happens, of course you must exit the vehicle — and fast.

“Know where traffic is coming from and assess your own physical ability to cross the lane and get to the shoulder, get to the ditch, get to an area far, far away from the vehicle… and from traffic,” Schmidt said.

“People are going to be avoiding the car on fire and they’re not going to be looking for the person running across the highway, because they may not have their eyes on you, because they’re going to be distracted. But obviously you need to get out of the car.”

Call the OPP

Schmidt said if you’re involved in collision on the highway with another vehicle and after making contact with the other driver, you’re leaving the scene to get to a safer place, you should call the OPP non-emergency line to inform officers of what happened. If you’re in a life-threatening situation, you should call 911.

Overall, Schmidt implored individuals to be cautious on the highway.

“We’ve had so many people getting hit because they exit their vehicle in a dangerous position,” he said.

“They’re too concerned about their car. They’re not watching traffic. So you got to keep the eyes back of your head, always attuned to traffic.”

He added that all drivers must slow down and move over if they see a collision scene or emergency vehicles ahead.

— With files from Declan Finucane