Long-haul trucker wants drivers to be more careful after close call on Highway 11

A long-haul truck driver wants people to stay safe on the road this winter after he experienced a close call this week on Highway 11.

Paul Beauregard said he was driving east of Kapuskasing when he was side-swiped by a passing truck.

Beauregard said the truck was tailgating another vehicle and swerved into his lane, clipping his side mirror.

He said the incident left him shaken — and thankful to be alive.

"I know with experience from what I've seen on the road over the last nine years, what a truck trailer, a semi-trailer can do, the kind of damage it can cause," he said.

"I could've got killed."

He said drivers need to be cautious when travelling in poor conditions.

"If you're driving in that kind of weather and you're anxious, you're nervous, you're better off stopping, taking a break. Go get a coffee, walk around," he said.

"A nervous, anxious driver in bad weather is a dangerous driver."

Beauregard also encouraged drivers to slow down, keep a safe distance from other vehicles and be cautious when passing.