OPP detachments across the province are making preparations to support the annual Canada Road Safety Week campaign – Road Safety Strategy 2015, the goal of which is to make Canada’s roads the safest in the world.
Canada Road Safety Week focuses on increasing public compliance with safe driving through enforcement action.
The goal is to save lives and reduce injuries on Canada’s highways by targeting the major causes of road deaths and injuries, specifically, aggressive driving, impaired driving, distracted driving and failing to be properly restrained.
The campaign began on May 14 and will be carried out over the Victoria Day long weekend before coming to an end on May 21.
“The OPP fully supports this national road safety campaign which targets aggressive driving behaviour and restraint non-compliance,” said OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis.
“The goal of this campaign is in keeping with our own Provincial Traffic Safety Program which aims to reduce injuries and deaths on our highways through education and aggressive enforcement action.”
Deputy commissioner Larry Beechey, the provincial commander of Traffic Safety and Operational Support said, “As a strategy partner in this national road safety campaign, the OPP has a major role in reaching our goal of making Ontario’s roads the safest in Canada in support of the Road Safety Strategy 2015 plan. This is why the OPP will be out in full force during the campaign, enforcing all road safety laws in an effort to build on our past successes of reducing injuries and deaths on OPP-patrolled roads and highways.”
Chief superintendent Don Bell, commander of the OPP Highway Safety Division, said, “Since 1996, the OPP along with police agencies across the country have collaborated to raise awareness regarding issues of public safety on our roads. The OPP will use this campaign to supplement our Provincial Traffic Safety program and demonstrate our commitment to public safety and community wellness.”
