BC Trucking Association calls on industry to prioritize safety following overpass crash

The president of the BC Trucking Association is issuing renewed calls for safety after a trailer truck smashed into an overhead pass Monday morning in Langley.

The truck’s oversize load struck the overpass on 264 Street, causing damage to the structure and creating hours-long delays for commuters. An oversize load is considered over 4.15 metres, and drivers are required to measure the height of the trailer, according to Dave Earle, the association’s president.

“Every time we have one of these incidents, it causes great disruption and it puts people at risk,” he said.

According to the BC Highway Patrol, the driver is now facing charges under the motor vehicle act for driving without due care and attention. An additional charge has been issued by Commercial Vehicle and Safety Enforcement for failure to have an oversize permit.

Earle said trucks are often in a hurry to deliver goods on time, causing them to sometimes forego safety measures. He said the industry condemns these dangerous decisions.

“We are calling on the customers, the drivers, the carriers who are moving these loads to stop, to measure, to make sure they know what they’re moving and to get the appropriate route planning — because this is what’s happening when you don’t,” he said.

Since 2021, there have been 17 ‘strikes’ along B.C.’s highways — the majority of which occurred on Highway 1. The strikes are expensive. In July 2022, the province spent around $1 million to fix a collision on 192 Street. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said it’s working with the trucking association on this issue, considering higher fines, steeper penalties and longer suspensions for drivers.