The town is joining a province-wide program in an attempt to combat dangerous driving on its roads.
At its meeting on Dec. 6 Minto council heard a proposal to join Road Watch Canada, an organization whose aim is to have dangerous drivers reported in a bid to minimize accidents and fatalities on the roads.
Council is expected to officially join the organization at its next meeting.
The report was made by OPP officer Todd Pridham and Don Senek, chairman of Road Watch Canada Inc.
Senek said the local Road Watch group’s goal is to continue efforts to make the community safer. It will replace the former Community Oriented Policing strategy committee.
Road Watch Canada was started in the mid 1990s by Marion Morrison following a traffic accident near Caledon that claimed the lives of eight young people, Senek told council.
The program has already received support from Wellington County councillors who have agreed to allow the posting of signs along county roads informing motorists the Road Watch program is in place.
Senek said anyone can submit a report on the Road Watch website when they see dangerous driving on roads. The report is also forwarded to the nearest police detachment.
“If you see someone doing something you can get a citizen’s report form, fill it out and police will take it and inform the individual that they had been observed doing something wrong on the roadway,” Senek said.
An officer will call an individual if a second report is made and on a third report an officer will visit the individual. Further reports could lead to formal charges.
Councillor Mary Lou Colwell, who is also a member of the local committee, said names of people making reports “are kept very confidential.”
Fundraising for the purchase of signs is ongoing.
Council is expected to sign a formal licensing agreement at its next council meeting and pay $100 to join the group.
