By James Peters

Dashcam video shows close call with SUV driving the wrong way on Trans Canada near Kamloops

Apr 26, 2018 | 10:09 AM

KAMLOOPS — A commercial tow truck driver from Chase says he didn’t get much sleep last night as he was mentally replaying a close call near Kamloops.

It happened at about 5:00 p.m., as Kieron Brandsma was driving home eastbound on the Trans Canada Highway near the Highway 97 exit

Brandsma pulled his rig into the left lane to pass a motorhome, and just seconds after he pulled back into the right lane, an SUV driving at highway speed flew past Brandsma, westbound in the eastbound fast lane.

“I did my shoulder check and looked in the mirror so I could pull in front of the motorhome and as I looked up, there she is coming right at me,” said Brandsma. “And not traveling slow, no four-ways on, no indication that they knew they were in the wrong spot at the wrong time. In fact, I got a dirty look out of the lady.”

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Brandsma immediately started warning others of the extremely dangerous situation.

“I got onto the truckers’ radio and started contacting truck drivers on the highway to let them know there’s someone coming down the road in the wrong lane,” he said. “As I came down the highway, there were two or three motorists pulled over on their cellphones. I assume they were phoning 911.”

While the close call caused some adrenaline to course through Brandsma’s veins, the full impact of what almost happened didn’t hit him until later in the evening.

“I drive a commercial tow truck, so I’m kind of acclimatized to people doing silly things down the highway. But the afterthought of thinking about my kids, thinking about what would have happened if I would have piled my truck up… If I got hurt, how would I support my family? Or the worst case…” said Brandsma. “I didn’t sleep at all last night. It was one of those traumatic afterthoughts. It could have been real bad.”

“It was probably a 10 or 15 second gap there. If I would have been in the wrong spot at the wrong time beside that motorhome, it would have been a bad day for everybody.”

Brandsma says he is vigilant about keeping to the speed limit on the highway, and he can’t imagine how this situation would have played out if he would have had less time to react.

“Keep your eyes up and drive safe. If everybody’s speeding all the time, it shortens that gap of being able to save yourself and save others, so mind the speed limits and everybody stay safe.”

Kamloops Rural RCMP confirm they received a report about the driver traveling in the wrong direction, but have yet to say whether the driver was tracked down.