The past 10 days on the Yellowhead Highway corridor from Vinsulla through Barriere has many area residents scratching their heads.
It also kept local first responders jumping to attend call-outs and especially was taxing for everyone concerned who attended an accident on Friday in Louis Creek.
This reporter asked Cpl. Steve Mancini of the Barriere Detachment if he thought the number of MVA’s was unusual over a short period of time??
“Yes, it seemed like we had quite a few within this corridor in the past week,” said Mancini, “Fortunately there have been no fatalities.”
He noted a need for motorists to use caution and to report dangerous driving; saying the streak of MVA’s started with of few random accidents in the area before the long weekend with no injuries reported. Then an Arrow truck and trailer hauling chips traveling through McLure burned up as a result of combustion when the chips overheated and caught fire.
On July 28, another Arrow truck and trailer traveling south went off road in McLure at the corner just south of the fruit stand. Police report the vehicle “just went off the road”.
Friday’s head on in Louis Creek tied the Yellowhead up for just under eight hours. A local resident driving an older GMC pickup was struck head on by an Alberta licenced Dodge pickup, pulling a cargo trailer that crossed the centre line. The driver of the GMC had to be extricated from his vehicle by Barriere Search and Rescue, and was reported in serious but stable condition with a number of broken bones. Two people and two children from the Alberta vehicle were also transported to hospital by ambulance with no serious injuries. The accident is under investigation with possible charges pending for driving without due care and attention. The highway closure took so long due to the seriousness of the injuries sustained by a person involved, and required traffic analysis officers from Kamloops to attend the scene. Mancini noted that traffic analysis can take anywhere from four to five hours to complete.
On Saturday, July 30, a tractor trailer rollover in the Vinsulla area caused highway delays for some time before the area was fully opened. The driver apparently stated he moved his southbound unit over to avoid another vehicle that was passing him too close, one of the unit’s tires caught the shoulder and resulted in the truck flipping. No injuries.
Also on the Saturday, a vehicle went into the ditch off Highway 5 in Barriere in the vicinity of DeeJay RV Park. No injuries.
“At the end of the day, especially in the summer months when there is an increase of traffic, we ask people to make travel plans ahead of time; leave early, and don’t expect to make up time when there is a lot of congestion on the road,” said Mancini, “If you see someone driving in an unsafe manner please call 911.”