The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) issued thousands of tickets and investigated the loss of two lives during Operation Impact, a Canada-wide road safety campaign aimed at saving lives and reducing serious injuries on roads through increased public awareness and enforcement of road safety laws.
The annual campaign was underway over the Thanksgiving long weekend and during that time, officers educated road users and enforced traffic laws associated with the “Big 4” causal factors in motor vehicle collisions: impaired driving, speeding, distracted driving and not using a seat belt.
In OPP jurisdictions, officers laid a total of 4,582 speeding charges and 48 stunt racing charges for driving over 50 kilometres an hour over the posted speed limit.
Other charges during the campaign included 204 distracted driving charges, 634 seat belt charges, 79 impaired driving charges and 916 other moving violations.
The OPP also issued 65 roadside warn range suspensions to drivers whose blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) was between .05 and .08 (this means there is 50 to 80mg of alcohol in every 100mL of blood).
Those who were issued warn-range suspensions immediately had their driver’s licence suspended at the roadside for three days.
The OPP reported two road fatalities and one off-road vehicle fatality in OPP jurisdictions over the long weekend. Sadly, the two road fatalities involved a 21-month old child and his seven-year-old brother, both of whom were killed after being struck by a vehicle in the town of Parry Sound on Oct. 11.
OPP warning
WELLINGTON CTY. – Police are reminding vehicle owners that thefts from vehicles are a crime of opportunity.
An unlocked vehicle door or an open window is an invitation to thieves. Remembering to always roll up the windows, lock the doors and keep valuables out of plain view, could prevent theft from occurring.
The key to protecting vehicles is in drivers’ hands, police warn. To avoid becoming an easy target, simply secure the vehicle – “Lock it or lose it.”
Anyone who sees suspicious persons or activity can call the county OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
