Members of the West Region Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to multiple fatal collisions and laid hundreds of charges during the Civic Holiday long weekend traffic campaign.
During the course of the four-day campaign, OPP responded to three separate fatal collisions in Norfolk, Oxford and Wellington counties in which three people tragically lost their lives.
OPP West Region officers laid 1,665 charges for a variety of infractions during the campaign, including hundreds of charges for violations falling under the "Big Four". These are the four biggest contributing factors in collisions that result in death, injury or property damage on Ontario roads and highways. Members also placed a priority on enforcement of the "Move Over" law.
Values from the 2022 campaign are in parentheses for the purposes of comparison.
- Speeding charges: 938 (979)
- Impaired driving charges: 39 (27)
- Distracted driving charges: 9 (17)
- Seatbelt charges: 52 (60)
- "Move Over" law charges: 47 (3)
- Stunt driving charges: 28 (29)
The OPP wishes to thank drivers who made traffic safety a priority in an effort to protect their family, friends, and fellow motorists. Traffic safety is everyone's responsibility.
Those numbers are included in a province wide tally that saw the OPP responding to and investigating eight fatalities.
The fatalities mark the highest number of traffic/marine-related deaths to occur over a long weekend so far this year. 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.
The OPP says it conducted robust enforcement, laying more than 7,700 charges during their latest provincial traffic safety campaign.
Officers focused on poor driving behaviours that account for a significant number of traffic-related-related deaths every year.
These 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.
The OPP reminds the motoring public about the central role they play in reducing the number of lives lost on roads, waterways and trails by being safe, responsible drivers (and passengers) whose number one goal during every trip is to make it to/from their destination safely.
