With the holiday season in full force, the Ontario Provincial Police and other departments are in the midst of the “Festive RIDE” campaign, which runs through January 3.
The OPP notes Ontarians have stepped up significantly this year, placing more than 21,000 calls to the OPP to report suspected impaired drivers.
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, police report in a release.
«Losing a loved one in a collision that involves impaired driving is among the most preventable tragedies on our roads. 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 RIDE 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,” says OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique.
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.
OPP officers conducted close to 6,700 “Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere” (RIDE) initiatives, charged 611 drivers with impaired driving and issued 199 warn range suspensions during the 2020-2021 Festive RIDE campaign.
NOVEMBER 23
3:02 PM | Waterloo Regional Police received a report of a theft from a motor vehicle on Maplecrest Drive in Breslau. Sometime overnight on Nov. 20, an unknown suspect entered a vehicle parked in a driveway and stole personal items. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
NOVEMBER 25
4:11 PM | Police received a report of property damage in the area of William and Maple streets in Elmira. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
NOVEMBER 27
5:19 PM | Waterloo Regional Police responded to a collision at Arthur Street South and Oriole Parkway in Elmira. A vehicle exited a private driveway on Arthur Street South and struck a vehicle that was travelling west. A 53-year-old Woolwich Township man was charged with ‘right of way on entering highway from private road.’
NOVEMBER 28
7:04 AM | Police received a report of a break and enter in the area of Country Squire Road and Millennium Boulevard in Woolwich Township. Earlier at approximately 6:40 a.m., an unknown suspect entered a business area and stole property. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
NOVEMBER 30
9:10 AM | A single-vehicle collision closed a portion of Northfield Drive north of Scotch Line Road. A dump truck loaded with gravel was travelling south on Northfield Drive East when the driver lost control and collided with a concrete bridge barrier. The collision caused the dump truck to flip onto its side and spill the gravel load it was carrying. The male driver was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The investigation remains ongoing, and charges are pending. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
9:12 AM | Waterloo Regional Police received a report of theft from a motor vehicle in the area of Marty Lane and Theodore Schuler Boulevard in Wilmot Township. It was reported that sometime between Nov. 29, at 9 p.m. and Nov. 30 at 6 a.m., an unknown suspect entered a parked vehicle and stole personal property. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
6:39 PM | A fatal collision in Poole is under investigation by Perth County OPP. Emergency crews responded to Perth Road 121 after a pedestrian was struck by a pickup truck. The pedestrian was transported from the scene by ambulance to a local hospital where they were later pronounced deceased. Any person with information regarding this collision should immediately contact Perth County OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
