A driver has been charged with careless driving and issued a warn‑range driver’s licence suspension after a single‑vehicle collision on Highway 11.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at approximately 10:00 p.m., members of the North Bay Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to multiple reports of a vehicle that struck a guardrail and travelled down an embankment on Highway 11 in East Ferris. Officers located the vehicle and driver. An investigation determined the driver had been consuming alcohol. A roadside breath demand was made for an Approved Screening Device (ASD), and the driver registered an “Alert.”
As a result, the 29‑year‑old driver from Bracebridge was issued an immediate seven-day warn‑range driver’s licence suspension and charged with Careless driving. No serious injuries were reported.
Police did not release the name of the accused. As a general practice, OPP do not release names for provincial (HTA) offences.
In Ontario, drivers who register a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the warn‑range (0.05-0.079) face immediate roadside penalties. These penalties were updated effective January 1, 2026.
Current warn‑range penalties:
· First occurrence: 7‑day licence suspension, 8‑hour education course, and a $250 penalty.
· Second occurrence (within 10 years): 14‑day suspension, 16‑hour treatment program, and $350 penalty.
· Third occurrence (within 10 years): 30‑day suspension, 16‑hour treatment program, 6‑month Ignition Interlock condition, and a $450 penalty.
A licence reinstatement fee applies after each suspension. Drivers are reminded that no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe when driving.
