Calgary drivers need to respect wide loads, trucker says after near collision

A truck driver says Calgary motorists need to pay more attention to oversized cargo on city streets after a near collision just off Crowchild Trail that left his trailer broken and the building he was hauling sitting on the road.

The incident happened Thursday morning near the Crowfoot LRT Station Park and Ride, whereScenic Acres Parade merges onto an access road that leads to the interchange betweenCrowchildand Nose Hill Drive N.W.

AbeDyck was heading toward the interchange, hauling an oversized building, when he said an SUV tried to merge right next to him.

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Whilethere are two travel lanes at that point, Dyck said the SUV driver didn't seem to realize the trailer's load was more than one lane wide.

"He could have got killed," Dycksaid. "That trailer would've gone right over top of the car."

The semi driver said he had to "slam the brakes" to avoid a collision and the sudden force damaged the trailer he was hauling, leaving it immobilized on the road.

The SUV driver left the scene.

Police responded to the area and said they are still investigatingthe incident.

Dyck said it's far from the first close call he's seen involving city drivers and wide loads.

"They do not respect the load," he said. "They do not respect anything. They've just got to go, and they go high speed all the time."