the OPP
The tallies are in for the OPP’s 2011-12 Festive R.I.D.E. campaign and the final number of impaired drivers caught over the holidays came as bittersweet news to the commissioner.
The campaign got underway on Nov. 25 and wrapped up on Jan. 1. Over that span, OPP officers removed a total of 1,203 impaired drivers off our roads and highways throughout the six Ontario regions that are policed by the OPP.
Of this total, 652 were charged with impaired driving and the other 551 were issued immediate “warn range” suspensions for having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between .05 and .08 mg.
In comparison, during the 2010-11 Festive R.I.D.E. campaign, 308 drivers were charged with impaired driving and 613 were issued “warn range” suspensions.
“On one hand, I am extremely proud of the hard work on the part of our officers who made this campaign highly-effective in removing these dangerous drivers from our roads over the holidays,” said OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis.
“On the other hand, I am disappointed that these drivers would risk their lives and the lives of others,” he added.
In 2011, 47 people died in alcohol-related crashes on OPP-patrolled roads.
According to Chief Superintendent Don Bell, commander of the OPP’s Highway Safety Division (HSD), drivers shouldn’t let their guard down just because the holiday season is over.
“The results of our Festive R.I.D.E. campaign, and the dangers associated with driving impaired, have been widely-publicized in the news yet more than 1,200 drivers still chose to ignore our strong messaging and warnings about impaired driving,” he noted.
“For those who feel relieved that our campaign is over, be warned that our regular R.I.D.E. initiatives will continue to be conducted throughout the province year-round.
“So there is no safe haven for impaired drivers anywhere or anytime on Ontario roads,” Bell stressed.
The OPP would like to thank all those who acted responsibly over the holidays by driving sober and helping to make Ontario roads safe for everyone.
Visit www.opp.ca and join in on the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
