ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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COUNTY OF WELLINGTON - Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) continually strives to make the roads safe for everyone. This holiday season, with the help and support of the public, we've made a positive impact. Here are the results of Wellington County's OPP Festive Ride Campaign.
Over the duration of the festive RIDE initiative there were 193 reported collisions. Eight collisions involved drug or alcohol usage, 167 property-damage-only collisions, 25 personal-injury collisions, and one fatal collision.
OPP conducted 110 separate RIDE checks throughout Wellington County, and more than 6,000 drivers were engaged. As a result, 28 drivers were charged with Impaired Driving offences (including refusal to provide a sample) and 43 more received Warning Range Suspensions (50-80mg/100mL blood). While conducting the RIDE programs officers also investigated Highway Traffic Act (HTA) offences and Provincial Cannabis Act offences. This resulted in four drivers being charged with Suspended Driving, and OPP laying 20 Cannabis Act charges, three probation breach charges and nine Controlled Drugs and Substance Act charges.
"Choosing to drive while impaired is choosing to put lives at risk and that is unacceptable. Our motivation has been, and will continue to be, to improve the safety and security of everyone in Wellington County. This is a big part of why Wellington County OPP is able to take pride in being a provincial leader in road safety through enforcement. A role we're planning on maintaining into the future." Wellington County OPP Detachment Commander, Insp. Scott Lawson
Wellington County OPP want to say 'thank you' to all who helped keep our roads a little safer this holiday season by choosing not to drive impaired and calling 911 if they suspected someone else was putting lives at risk and driving while impaired. We also want to remind drivers that new legislation to the HTA, Criminal Code and Cannabis Act has clarified rules and stiffened penalties for the serious driving offences of impaired and distracted driving.
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