Road Safety Week blitz
WELLINGTON COUNTY – From May 18 to 24, Wellington County OPP officers participated in the provincial Canada Road Safety Week Traffic Safety Initiative.
This traffic blitz focused on proactive enforcement of the “big four” offences of aggressive driving/speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, and seatbelt usage.
These big four offences continue to be significant contributing factors in the fatal and personal injury motor vehicle collisions that occur on Ontario roadways far too often, police say.
Wellington OPP officers conducted “a wide variety of high visibility enforcement on local roadways in conjunction with a number of RIDE [programs],” police stated.
As a result, Wellington OPP laid a total of 127 charges:
– 107 for speeding;
– nine for failure to properly wear a seatbelt;
– four for impaired driving;
– three for failing to yield;
– one warning range suspensions; and
– one each for driving while disqualified, careless driving and stunt driving.
“Our members actively patrolled Wellington County roadways throughout the campaign in an effort to ensure that community members and those traveling through Wellington County were able to do so safely,” stated Sergeant Darryl Porterfield, of the Wellington County OPP Traffic Unit.
“The vast majority of drivers observed by our officers were operating their vehicles in a safe and considerate manner. We continue to be particularly concerned with drivers who continue to make the conscious decision to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while impaired, whether it be by alcohol, drugs or a combination of both.”
Porterfield added, “We will continue to work with our communities to address the issue of impaired driving and we will continue to conduct zero tolerance enforcement in this regard.”
Long weekend stats
ORILLIA – The OPP reported two road fatalities and one boating death during the Victoria Day Long Weekend.
Across the province OPP officers responded to 275 road collisions during the May 21 to 24 campaign, laid 8,477 traffic-related charges and conducted 13,000 traffic stops.
Aggressive drivers made up the majority of the offenders, with officers issuing 7,177 speeding and 148 stunt driving/racing offence notices.
Other charges involved seatbelts (551), distracted driving (203), impaired driving (135), failing to yield (123) and careless driving (109).
“The OPP remains committed to saving lives on roads, waterways and trails,” states a release from OPP headquarters.
