According to OPP, the drivers of two vehicles that went over a snow embankment in Kitchener, Ont., “likely” weren’t driving safely for the conditions, which caused them to lose control.
OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt mentioned in an interview that even though there was snow on the side of the Highway 7/8 flyover, the road conditions were actually quite good.
“The roads were plowed, they were salted and they were in as good condition as you could have barring the snowstorm that we were dealing with,” Schmidt said Wednesday.
“In both cases, it appears that the drivers likely were not adjusting their driving to match the conditions on the overpass, lost control and went onto the shoulder, which was covered with snow, and as a result of that, they ended up going over the wall.”
On Monday, police reported two separate vehicles drove over the embankment.
Story continues below
The first incident involved a cab driver whose vehicle went over the snowbank at around 2 a. m., but thankfully, the driver was unharmed.
OPP and Ministry of Transportation officials closed off the area for investigation but later reopened the overpass.
![Click to play video: 'Roughly 50 vehicles involved in multiple collisions on Highway 401: OPP']()
0:33 Roughly 50 vehicles involved in multiple collisions on Highway 401: OPP
Schmidt told us on Wednesday that both MTO and OPP are looking into all contributing factors.
More on Canada More videos
“We look at human factors, mechanical factors, environmental factors, everything that could have been related,” he said. “Those are certainly issues that we always want to be able to exclude or include. What kind of tires? Was it traction control? Was the vehicle in good shape? … That’s what we’re trying to determine and assess right now.”
Story continues below
We reached out to MTO for comments regarding their investigation and incidents but hadn’t received a response by publication time.
Sgt. Schmidt further pointed out that many vehicles traveled along that stretch of overpass during both night and morning hours, stating those two vehicles going over the wall were an “exception.”
“No buses or tractor-trailers or cars or SUVs had any trouble navigating through,” he said. “I don’t know how many hundreds or thousands of cars would have driven that ramp during those eight or twelve or twenty-four hours leading up to these events.”
This past Monday, Schmidt noted while plows worked through during storm conditions; they couldn’t push any snow off this particular overpass because it would fall onto highway below.
He reminded drivers traveling on overpasses or highways after snowfall should keep in mind it’s wet and slippery which can be dangerous. He added snowy conditions like those seen Sunday into Monday can make ramps even more “treacherous” due to ice and snow buildup; therefore it’s important to take it slow around curves.
& copy 2026 , a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Source link
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories. A few hours later, police stated another vehicle lost control and went over a snowbank onto the roadway below. In this case, police reported that a 36-year-old woman from Waterloo, Ont., was pronounced dead at the scene. The ramp was once again closed for an investigation. That inquiry into this tragic accident is still ongoing.
0:33 Roughly 50 vehicles involved in multiple collisions on Highway 401: OPP
Schmidt told us on Wednesday that both MTO and OPP are looking into all contributing factors.
More on Canada More videos
“We look at human factors, mechanical factors, environmental factors, everything that could have been related,” he said. “Those are certainly issues that we always want to be able to exclude or include. What kind of tires? Was it traction control? Was the vehicle in good shape? … That’s what we’re trying to determine and assess right now.”
Story continues below
We reached out to MTO for comments regarding their investigation and incidents but hadn’t received a response by publication time.
Sgt. Schmidt further pointed out that many vehicles traveled along that stretch of overpass during both night and morning hours, stating those two vehicles going over the wall were an “exception.”
“No buses or tractor-trailers or cars or SUVs had any trouble navigating through,” he said. “I don’t know how many hundreds or thousands of cars would have driven that ramp during those eight or twelve or twenty-four hours leading up to these events.”
This past Monday, Schmidt noted while plows worked through during storm conditions; they couldn’t push any snow off this particular overpass because it would fall onto highway below.
He reminded drivers traveling on overpasses or highways after snowfall should keep in mind it’s wet and slippery which can be dangerous. He added snowy conditions like those seen Sunday into Monday can make ramps even more “treacherous” due to ice and snow buildup; therefore it’s important to take it slow around curves.
& copy 2026 , a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Source link
