ORILLIA – Police say the August long weekend was a “tragic” one on Ontario’s roads, waterways and trails, with the OPP responding to eight fatalities.
“The fatalities mark the highest number of traffic/marine-related deaths to occur over a long weekend so far this year,” states an Aug. 9 press release from the OPP.
“Six of those who died were involved in road collisions. One person was killed in an off-road vehicle collision and another individual was killed in a boating incident.”
Police say officers laid more than 7,700 charges from Aug. 4 to 7.
“Officers focused on poor driving behaviours that account for a significant number of traffic-related-related deaths every year,” police stated.
Those include: speeding (4,341 charges), impaired driving (182 charges), distracted driving (43 charges) and drivers (and passengers) who were not buckled up (369 charges). The OPP also laid 131 charges against drivers who failed to comply with Ontario’s “move over” law.
