Driver crashed into oncoming traffic on Hwy. 416 after falling asleep: OPP

The OPP say the driver of this vehicle was charged with careless driving after falling asleep behind the wheel on Highway 416 in Ottawa on Sunday, June 7, 2026. (OPP/X)

Ontario Provincial Police say a driver who fell asleep at the wheel is facing charges after crashing into oncoming traffic on Highway 416 on the weekend.

Const. Michael Fathi said in a post on X that the crash happened shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“The driver of this SUV fell asleep while travelling southbound,” Fathi said. “They crossed to the northbound side and struck an oncoming vehicle. Thankfully, only minor injuries were sustained by both parties.”

The driver of the SUV was charged with carless driving, which comes with a $490 fine and six demerit points upon conviction, Fathi said.

He warned drivers to always be alert on the highways.

“We have seen tires coming off vehicles, ladders falling off trucks and even pedestrians crossing the highway,” he said.

The OPP responded to numerous reports of loose tires on Highway 417 in May, some of which struck other vehicles.

A pedestrian was struck on the 417 in the early morning hours of May 22.

Last night, a driver hauling an RV on the 417 flipped the vehicle, ejecting a fridge into the opposite lane.

“When driving on the highway, it is always important to be paying close attention to what is going on around you,” Fathi wrote.

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