'Quite scary': Driver fined for unsecured scrap load in Edmonton
The driver of a large unsecured load of three scrap tractors was fined more than $2,000, in what one peace officer refers to as a severe example of cargo security issues on Alberta highways.
A photo taken by community peace officer Steve Schmidt shows a dump truck hooked to a trailer that contains three heavy pieces of farming machinery, one stacked on top of the other.
On Friday evening, Schmidt responded to a report of an unsafe load while in Strathcona County before spotting it entering Edmonton along the Sherwood Park Freeway.
"I knew immediately that the vehicle had to be stopped and that it was a pretty dangerous unsecured load," Schmidt said.
"I could tell from the way it was shifting when I first observed it that there was definitely some cargo securement issues. We had to get the vehicle stopped and inspect the load on the vehicle."
The driver faced a little more than $2,000 in fines, and could have faced more, instead of warnings, he said.
"This is by far one of the more severe ones we have ever dealt with, however we have been seeing a lot of cargo security issues, especially recently."
The driver was on his way to an Edmonton scrap yard before being pulled over. He was driving from Fort Assiniboine, Alta., which is bout 160 kilometres northwest of the city.
"That's quite scary to me and it's still kind of shocking to me that nothing worse happened," Schmidt said.
Police and RCMP received reports of the top of the load hitting overpasses and overhead signs. However, Alberta Transportation has checked highways within the driver's route and has not found any damage.
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Travis.mcewan@cbc.ca
