Dash-cam video captures mattress flying into oncoming traffic in Richmond

RICHMOND (NEWS 1130) – Someone in Vancouver was driving along Highway 99 in Richmond when a mattress on a pick-up truck in front of them hurtled into oncoming traffic.

It happened this past Sunday at around 2:45 p.m. The driver was heading south when the mattress and what appeared to be a table went out flying.

RELATED: Dashcam videos paint ugly picture of Metro Vancouver driving

The video shows the pick-up truck brake slightly, immediately after the items fall, but then keeps going.

Footage shows the Vancouverite having to swerve into another lane briefly to avoid one of the items.

“Obviously, hitting something the size of a mattress or a table, or any other large item on the highway, can have a catastrophic result,” Sgt. Lorne Lecker with Deas Island Traffic Services said.

“But even if you don’t hit it, it’s a natural human response to try to veer and avoid an obstacle. And at that point, your attention is focused on the obstacle on the road and not the cars around you.”

He says drivers can then accidentally cause a chain reaction.

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Lecker says officers continuously check for load security on the highway.

“While we are also looking for seatbelts and cell phones, one of the things we are doing at that time is we are inspecting vehicles for load security,” he adds.

RELATED: VPD releases dashcam footage of man who pushed another into oncoming traffic

Commercial vehicles without a secure load could face a $288 fine — whether or not something falls — while private vehicles could face a $173 ticket.

“We do write quite a few of these tickets,” Lecker said.

When carrying a load, Lecker says the only option is to buy products designed for securing loads.

“We don’t by any means recommend people use string, use wire, use items that are not designed for that purpose,” he added. “It might look secure, but imagine going over bumps and bad traffic and going over 100km/h. The odds are it will not hold and the item will escape.”

If any items from your vehicle fall, Lecker says ICBC will automatically find you at fault — which could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the damage.

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