Despite the provincial campaign ending on Jan. 2, the Wellington County OPP Festive RIDE campaign was extended to Jan. 11.
The final tally ended with 38 motorists being charged with drinking and driving offences over an eight-week period.
“Despite the extreme weather conditions, including heavy snow, frigid temperatures and ice, our members were very committed to this initiative, stopping more than 12,000 motorists,” said detachment commander Inspector Scott Lawson.
“I’m aware other jurisdictions were maybe reporting more favourable results but we can’t say that here in Wellington County. The results are not pretty, so clearly we have more work to do.”
Education around the dangers of impaired driving and officer visibility at RIDE were ever present throughout the campaign.
The OPP in Wellington will continue to work together with their local traffic safety partners to achieve a zero tolerance attitude for impaired driving by drugs or alcohol in our community, Lawson added.
The final results of the eight-week campaign are;
– 12,459 vehicles checked;
– 815 approved screening device tests (drivers whose breath samples contained less than 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood);
– 38 Over 80mg/impaired/refuse charges;
– 87 three-day administrative driver’s licence suspensions;
– eight seven-day administrative driver’s licence suspensions;
– 11 24-hour administrative driver’s licence suspensions;
– 20 other Criminal Code charges;
– 44 drug charges;
– 29 Liquor License Act Charges;
– 177 Highway Traffic Act charges; and
– 30 Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act charges.
“We do though, have to thank those motorists who considered the life-altering consequences and chose not to get behind the wheel when they’d consumed any amount of alcohol,” Lawson said.
“They deserve everyone’s appreciation for absolutely contributing to the safety of our area roads.”
