Anti-rollover technology supported by Ottawa, trucking association

A push to legislate anti-rollover technology in trucks has the support of a provincial trucking association and the federal government.

The Ontario Trucking Association says sensors can help prevent rollovers and wants to see them legislated.

Electronic stability control systems help to prevent rollovers through sensors installed in the truck and can determine when a slippage or jackknife situation occurs, correcting the tractor trailer unit before an accident takes place.

A tractor trailer flipped on to its side at the roundabout that connects Highway 3 and Highway 401 backing up traffic for hours Tuesday morning, something that can be avoided according to Marco Beghetto.with the Ontario Trucking Association.

"If we can prevent these things, let's do so," he said.

"When you're talking about a situation where a truck rolls over at a major corridor on the way to the border for example ... and has the potential to tie up traffic for several hours, and all the loss productivity associated with that, for $600 or $1,000 on a unit at the manufacturing level, we think that's cheap insurance, not to mention all the injuries it would prevent," Beghetto said.

Stability control systems have been mandatory on all new cars and light duty vehicles sold in Canada and the U.S. since 2011.

In March, The Ministry of Transportation announced it supported electronic stability control systems.

"We are working actively with our stakeholders and provincial partners to support increased safety for Canadians and Canada's trucking industry through innovative technologies such as electronic logging devices and electronic stability systems," Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt said in a statement.

Electronic logging devices track a driver's time behind the wheel, which helps drivers remain within regulated allowable driving hours to reduce fatigue, said the ministry.