Ontario Provincial Police’s (OPP) Festive R.I.D.E. campaign officially kicked off this week and officers are calling on motorists to do their part to keep roads safe this holiday season.
Once again OPP are reminding Ontarians that keeping impaired drivers off roads includes important preventative measures taken by citizens, not just police.
The citizens of Ontario have already stepped up significantly this year, placing more than 21,000 calls to the OPP to report suspected impaired drivers. While these calls may not always lead to an impaired driving charge, people should not hesitate to make this important call as the OPP takes every report of a suspected impaired driver seriously.
Despite efforts by police and the public to keep these dangerous drivers off our roads, OPP officers have responded to close to 2,000 alcohol/drug-involved collisions this year. The incidents resulted in 29 people losing their lives and many others sustaining serious injuries.
“Losing a loved one in a collision that involves impaired driving is among the most preventable tragedies on our roads,” said OPP commissioner Thomas Carrique. “Make a commitment to never drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs and report anyone you suspect of doing so to the police. During the Festive R.I.D.E. campaign, OPP officers will make full use of their expertise, tools and authority to detect and charge impaired drivers. Together, we have the ability to keep our roads safe over the holidays and throughout the year.”
Drivers are reminded that under Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) laws, an officer can demand a breath sample from any driver they lawfully pull over, without having reasonable suspicion that they have alcohol in their body.
An officer can also demand that a driver submit to a Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) and a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Evaluation. SFST-trained officers and DREs have the expertise to detect impairment by alcohol, drugs or both in a driver.
Young, novice and commercial drivers are reminded that the OPP enforces the zero tolerance sanctions that apply to these driver classes.
The OPP has laid more than 8,000 alcohol/drug impaired driving charges so far this year.