The OPP responded to four fatal collisions on and off the road over the Thanksgiving Long Weekend, which claimed the lives of five people.
Among the incidents was a double fatality collision involving a horse and buggy, in which two children lost their lives. Three other people were killed in separate collisions, one of which involved a teenager. A motorcyclist was among those who died, marking a particularly tragic year for motorcyclists, with 38 deaths this year compared to 23 this time last year.
OPP officers were highly visible over the Thanksgiving Long Weekend, doing their part to keep drivers, passengers and other road users safe during Operation Impact (October 9-12, 2020).
Officers laid 6,246 traffic-related charges during the national, annual campaign that targets aggressive drivers, motorists under the influence of alcohol/drugs, inattentive drivers and road users who fail to wear a seat belt.
Aggressive driving led the list of offences, with 4,771 speeding charges laid. Motorists driving at dangerously high speeds continued to endanger the lives of other road users, with 159 racing/stunt driving charges laid.
Drivers engaged in other dangerous behaviours were also held to account, with 104 distracted driving and 92 alcohol/drug-impaired driving charges laid. Drivers and passengers who failed to wear a seat belt made up 144 of the offences.
A total of 231 people have died on OPP-patrolled roads so far this year, a significant number of which were preventable and linked to the same poor behaviours as those observed over the long weekend.
When you read about all the charges that were laid over the weekend it kind of makes a person wonder what the heck these people use for brains. Especially driving under the influence it should be pretty plain if you drink don’t drive and Like I told my grandson just before he started to drive you don’t really have to be very smart to push on a gas pedal and in reality the difference in time is not very much. i have people pass me on Brunel rd. going into town and by the time we are at the stop lights on main they might be one car ahead of me Wow so much time saved. I think the OPP are doing a good job it’s the legal system and the laws that are the problem if they want these idiots off the roads they need to get some jail time fines or a slap on the wrist don’t seem to send the message.