There has been a 33 per cent increase in fatal collisions involving transport trucks on eastern Ontario roads this year.

Newly released figures from Ontario Provincial Police show there have been eight fatal transport truck collisions so far in 2018. That’s up from 6 fatal collisions involving transport trucks in 2017.

Across Ontario, the OPP has responded to 33 transport truck-related fatal collisions this year. Forty-one people have died in the crashes.

There have been 3,600 transport truck-related collisions on Ontario roads in 2018, which represents 11 per cent of the total number of collisions.

The OPP will be conducting “Operation Safe Trucking” on Ontario roads next week, focusing on speeding and other forms of aggressive driving, distracted/inattentive driving, driver impairment, hours of service and equipment violations, and lack of occupant restraint.