Province plans to install safety cables along Highway 401 near Chatham

Ontario's Ministry of Transportation is planning to install high-tension cables alongHighway 401 between Tilbury and Ridgetown.

• Windsor man charged in Highway 401 rollover near Chatham

• Tractor-trailer collisions on the rise in Chatham-Kent

The project is meant to prevent vehicles from crossing the median into oncoming traffic.

"People don't feel safe driving that corridor once they pass London, and you can tell by the number of accidents that have occurred between here and Windsor that there is a case for putting up these barriers," said Elgin County MPP Jeff Yurek.

The stretch of highway through Chatham-Kent was broken up by several construction zones this summer and saw a spike in tractor-trailer collisions, prompting warnings from provincial police for drivers to slow down and pay attention.

OPP Const. Jay Denorer said he's in support of any project that could keep people safer on the 401.

"When a car collides with it the cable will absorb the impact of that collision and it actually reduces the amount of damage and results in less severe injuries to the vehicle occupants," he explained.

Denorer warned travellerswith long weekend plans to keep their eyes on the road as the OPP will be holding a special initiative targetting distracted drivers.

"When your'e going down the highway just keep your speed down," he added. "In the Chatham and those construction zones drop you speed down to 80 km/h, stay off your cell phones and just focus on what's in front of you."