Waterloo Regional Police stopped 475 vehicles and laid a total of 373 charges during Operation Safe Driver, a campaign held in partnership with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance that ran July 11-17.
The campaign focused on reducing deaths and injuries involving large trucks, buses and cars due to impaired driving, distracted driving, improper seatbelt use, excessive speed and failing to obey intersection controls.
This year, speeding was identified as the main target of the operation.
“While the campaign is over, our commitment to road safety is not, and we will continue to target speeding and other dangerous driving behaviours that make our roads less safe for everyone.” said acting Staff Sgt. Mark Hammer in a release.
In total, the Waterloo Regional Police Service laid the following charges during Operation Safe Driver:
• Speeding charges (including 3 stunt driving charges): 174
• Impaired-related charges: 3
• Distracted driving charges (handheld device): 8
• Seatbelt charges: 6
• Dangerous Driving (Criminal Code Charges): 5
• Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act: 28
• Other Highway Traffic Act charges: 149
Officers also conducted 25 commercial motor vehicle inspections, and took 10 commercial motor vehicles out of service.
JULY 24
7:07 PM | Police received a report of a stolen licence plate at a barn in the area of Durant Road in Woolwich Township. The licence plate belonged to a horse trailer and is believed to have been stolen sometime during the month of July. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
7:39 PM | Waterloo Regional Police responded to a collision involving an e-bike and an SUV in the area of Huron Street and Stone Street in New Hamburg. The rider of the bike lost control and struck the SUV. The rider was later transported to hospital for an assessment, but did not suffer serious injuries. The investigation revealed that the rider lost control on the wet road and slid, causing the collision.
JULY 25
4:59 PM | Police made a traffic stop on Moser Young Road in Wellesley Township, charging the drive with ‘stunt driving’ and ‘speeding,’ and impounding their vehicle.
JULY 28
9:45 AM | A 58-year-old Elmira man died following a collision between the motorcycle he was riding and a horse-drawn buggy on Church Street, just east of Arthur Street in Elmira. It was the region’s eighth fatal collision of the year. Police say the buggy was travelling east on Church Street and the motorcycle was travelling west on Church Street towards Arthur Street when the collision occurred. Emergency crews responded to the scene, and the motorcyclist was transported by ambulance to hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased. The investigation is ongoing, with police asking anyone with information to call them at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
3:30 PM | Waterloo Regional Police are investigating a single-vehicle collision on Shantz Station Road at the CN RAIL overpass east of Breslau. A purple RAM Durango pickup truck was travelling north on Shantz Station Road when the driver lost control, striking the guardrail and bridge supports. The 49-year-old male driver was transported to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. As a result of the collision, Shantz Station Road was closed for several hours while investigators remained on the scene. Witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact the Traffic Services Unit at 519-570-9777, ext. 8856.
JULY 30
8:24 AM | Emergency crews responded to a collision on Listowel Road at Floradale Road in Elmira. A white Toyota Yaris was travelling south on Floradale Road when it was struck by a large commercial truck that was travelling west on Listowel Road. The collision caused the truck to flip over. The driver of the Toyota, a 46-year-old Elmira woman, was airlifted to an out-of-region hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. A 2-year-old child, also a passenger in the Toyota, was taken to a local hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the commercial motor vehicle, a 64-year-old Brampton man, did not sustain any injuries. As a result of the collision, Listowel Road was closed for several hours while investigators remained on scene. The investigation remains ongoing, with charges pending. Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact the Traffic Services Unit at 519-570-9777, ext. 8856.
