Photograph through Ontario Affiliation Of Chiefs Of Police.
Editor’s observe: This text has been up to date because it was initially printed on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. Please see backside of article for many not too long ago up to date info.
There are various issues that undoubtedly remind us that the vacations are almost right here, and a type of issues includes shiny lights of a special selection than these we hold on our bushes or eavestroughs.
The purple, white, and blue lights atop Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) autos at checkpoints on roadways all through the province mark the return of the OPP Festive RIDE program. An acronym for ‘Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere,’ the RIDE program goals to remind motorists to not drive if vacation events have gotten a bit too festive, and to take away drivers who’ve indulged in one other sort of vacation spirits from the busy roads that come together with the season.
“We all have a role to play in keeping people safe on Ontario’s roads. As you gather with family, friends and colleagues over the holidays, please devise a plan that ensures no one in your presence gets behind the wheel if they have consumed alcohol or taken drugs,” mentioned Thomas Carrique, Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner. “Your actions, combined with robust impaired driving enforcement on the part of the OPP and its valued policing partners, can go a long way towards saving lives.”
The significance of the marketing campaign is underscored within the statistics gathered by the OPP final yr; in keeping with the 2023 OPP Annual Report, the provincial police service laid greater than 11,000 impaired driving associated charges final yr – 11,142 such charges, to be precise. That’s up 914 charges, or almost 9 per cent, over the variety of impaired driving charges laid by the OPP in 2022, and up 1,590 charges, or greater than 16 per cent, over the variety of these charges in 2021. Additionally in 2023, OPP RIDE packages resulted in 732 impaired driving charges laid, up from 614 in 2022 – a rise of simply over 16 per cent, in keeping with the report.
And in 2023, 12 per cent of deadly collisions on OPP-patrolled roadways listed impaired driving because the “primary causal factor.”
In line with the OPP, the 2024-2025 Festive RIDE marketing campaign kicks off as we speak, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. Working by means of Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, the marketing campaign will contain members from all OPP detachments within the East Area, and motorists can count on to see an elevated OPP presence on roads all through Ontario.
“Impaired Driving is a leading cause of collisions on our highways, and a threat to public safety in our communities,” the OPP relayed in a press launch.
“There are many options to avoid driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs: take a taxi, call a friend, stay over, or have a designated sober driver.”
The OPP remind members of the general public to import impaired or suspected impaired drivers by calling 911 within the case of an emergency, the OPP Provincial Communications Centre at 1-888-310-1122, or calling Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Replace (Friday, Nov. 29, 2024):
Because the Festive RIDE program launched on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 (see above for particulars), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers throughout East Area have charged 23 motorists with impaired driving, in keeping with police.
In a media launch, the OPP acknowledged that officers have performed over 200 Festive RIDE packages because the above date, stopping tons of of drivers to make sure they weren’t impaired by alcohol or medicine.
Along with the impaired driving arrests, officers additionally issued 9 warnings, leading to these drivers being issued licence suspensions and having their autos impounded.
“Impaired drivers are a threat to everyone on the roads, including themselves, their passengers, other drivers and even pedestrians. If you plan to drink or consume drugs, make sure you have a plan. Have a designated driver, take transit, a ride-share or taxi, or just stay put,” mentioned Chief Superintendent Lisa Wilhelm, OPP East Area Commander.
OPP remind drivers that RIDE packages can occur wherever, anytime – day or night time.
Replace (Friday, Dec. 6, 2024):
After the second week of the Festive RIDE program, the OPP shared that officers throughout East Area have now charged a complete of 45 motorists with impaired driving because the initiative started two weeks in the past. This quantity consists of the 23 motorists reported charged on the finish of final week — see above replace for these particulars.
“We know people are getting into the holiday spirit, but impaired driving can instantly change a celebration to a tragedy. It’s a simple message if you drink or consume drugs, don’t get behind the wheel,” mentioned Chief Superintendent Lisa Wilhelm, OPP East Area Commander.
In line with the OPP, officers have performed over 380 Festive RIDE packages since November 21, 2024, stopping almost 1,000 autos to make sure the drivers weren’t impaired by alcohol or medicine.
Along with the impaired driving arrests, officers additionally issued 14 warnings, leading to these drivers being issued licence suspensions and having their autos impounded. The OPP didn’t state whether or not this quantity consists of the 9 warnings issued by the top of final week.
OPP remind drivers that RIDE packages can occur wherever, anytime — day or night time.
“If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 9-1-1. You could be saving lives,” the OPP expressed.
Replace (Monday, Dec. 16, 2024):
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) pulled greater than a dozen impaired drivers off the roads in japanese Ontario for the third week in a row.
After the third week of the 2024-2025 OPP Festive RIDE program, one other 20 individuals are going through charges because of impaired driving, in keeping with an replace from the OPP East Area communications crew. These individuals have been arrested and charged at RIDE program checkpoints that occurred from Thursday, Dec. 5 to Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, and produce the whole variety of drivers arrested by means of the Festive RIDE program to 65 because it started lower than a month in the past on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 — which equates to about three arrests per day of the 21 days of the marketing campaign to this point.
OPP officers have now performed greater than 600 Festive RIDE program checkpoints, “stopping vehicles to ensure the drivers were not impaired by alcohol or drugs,” police mentioned in a media replace on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024.
“Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs can have deadly results. Don’t be the reason your family, or someone else’s family, spends the holidays in grief and sadness. Don’t drive after drinking or using drugs,” Chief Superintendent Lisa Wilhelm, the OPP East Area Commander, mentioned in an announcement.
In line with police, through the third week of this season’s Festive RIDE program, officers additionally issued 20 warning-range suspensions, ensuing within the accused drivers’ having their driver’s licences suspended and their autos impounded.
On prime of these drivers charged in Lennox and Addington over the previous weekend — one in 4 of which have been charged at RIDE checkpoints, in keeping with police — a Kingston resident was additionally charged at a RIDE checkpoint in Belleville, in keeping with the Quinte West Detachment of the OPP. However that individual was not charged with impaired driving.
On Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, when officers have been conducting a RIDE program checkpoint on the Freeway 401 off-ramp at Trenton-Frankford Street, officers administered an accepted roadside screening system on a driver at round 10 p.m. An accepted roadside screening system detects the presence of alcohol on an individual’s breath. Following the screening, the driving force in query was arrested, in keeping with police. The automobile was subsequently searched, which led to the seizure of roughly 14 grams of suspected methamphetamine and the arrest of the passenger, the OPP mentioned in a press launch.
Because of this, 30-year-old Jordan Haggett of Trenton was charged with:
Operation of a motorized vehicle with a blood alcohol focus exceeding the authorized limitPossession of a Schedule 1 substance — methamphetamineDriving a motorized vehicle with an open container of liquorDriving a motorized vehicle with out a licence
Moreover, 30-year-old Matthew Candy from Kingston was charged with:
Possession of a Schedule 1 substance — methamphetamine
The OPP is reminding motorists that Festive RIDE program checkpoints can occur wherever and at any time, and that Ontarians ought to name 911 if they believe a driver of being impaired — “You could be saving lives,” the provincial police service mentioned.
With recordsdata from Jessica Foley.
