Centre Wellington residents can now help keep roads safe in their own neighborhoods by reporting any type of dangerous driving to the OPP.
Last week, Centre Wellington Roadwatch launched the local program with the installation of 15 Roadwatch signs on major roads entering the urban communities of Centre Wellington.
Roadwatch is a Canada-wide program that allows residents to report dangerous driving to the police simply by going online to report dangerous drivers through the use of an internet site – roadwatch.ca.
Since the program became available in Wellington County three years ago, police say reports of dangerous driving have increased by 30 per cent.
Centre Wellington Roadwatch chairman Larry Schmidt explained one of the keys to increasing the reports has been generating awareness of the program.
“The more exposure there is, the more aware people become,” said Schmidt.
He added the next phase will be to go to various businesses in town and ask if they would be willing to put a Roadwatch sign on their doors.
For those using the internet site, Schmidt explained the user enters the make and model of the car, in addition to the licence plate number – whether it be someone speeding, driving recklessly or driving while using a cell phone.
This is done simply and confidentially by going to the Roadwatch website www.roadwatch.ca and completing the reporting form and simply clicking on the OPP icon to send the report.
The OPP will send warning letters to the owners of the vehicles. Those letters are also filed and if there are more incidences reported, the OPP sends a warning. However, Schmidt said, in many cases once the individual gets a letter the problem is solved.
“This is a great opportunity for people of this community to take responsibility for the streets we live and drive on,” he said.
According to OPP statistics, traffic related issues account for 25% of the calls for service for the OPP in Wellington County. In 2011, 306 people were injured and seven people were killed in motor vehicle collisions in the county.
The Roadwatch signs are a reminder that Centre Wellington residents have the power to make a difference in improving the road safety on their own streets. The local program has been in place for three years. Schmidt added there are branches of Roadwatch in Minto, Rockwood and Puslinch.
He noted neighbouring Caledon is where the program actually began about six or seven years ago, after a group of teenagers was killed on Highway 10.
“The program has grown and grown throughout Ontario,” said Schmidt.
Locally, the Centre Wellington group has three members and Schmidt said they are always looking for more volunteers to get involved.
“What we need the volunteers for is to build awareness of the program throughout the community.” He noted he was available to make presentations to local groups and organizations within the community.
He said one of the biggest hurdles is people asking “‘what is Roadwatch?’ The minute they find out how simple it is – they get on the computer and think it is just great.”
Wellington County OPP Inspector Scott Lawson commented that the department gets hundreds of driving complaints.
“When people realize it is not only the police watching, but their fellow citizens, neighbours and people they don’t know, it has a huge impact,” said Lawson.
Schmidt added being able to enter the information via a website eliminates the “knee-jerk” reaction. He said when the OPP receives the report via Roadwatch, it is not some spur-of-the-moment reaction because the person reporting it has had some time to think about it.
Lawson said while the program is simple, it can have an impact on both the OPP and the community. He hopes the program will eventually reach a county-wide status.
“The OPP supports Roadwatch wholeheartedly here in Centre Wellington,” said Lawson. “Our job is to empower the public – certainly to report on unsafe driving and other practices. Roadwatch is another really good tool for us to use.” He said police can take the complaints and act on them.
“What it really does is put other sets of eyes out there in the community. The endgame is for us to have safe roads in the community here in Centre Wellington and across the county.”
Councillor Fred Morris, who has been involved for years with the Centre Wellington Roadwatch group, thanked Schmidt for his hard word and dedication to the project.
“Without his energy and enthusiasm we wouldn’t be here today,” said Morris. “He’s carried the ball for a number of years and done a remarkable job to move this project forward.”
He echoed Lawson’s comments on safe roads, noting the Roadwatch project will contribute in a major way towards that goal.
For more information contact chairman Larry Schmidt at 519-787-3820.
