OPP reports fatalities and numerous traffic-related charges over long weekend

ORILLIA, ON, May 25, 2017 /CNW/ - Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers were kept busy on and off roads leading up to and over the Victoria Day Long Weekend, investigating two off-road vehicle deaths and laying numerous charges.

During Canada Road Safety Week (May 16-22, 2017), the OPP laid close to 9,400 speeding charges, 165 of which were street racing charges laid against motorists who were driving 50 km/h over the posted speed limit.

Officers also laid 649 seat belt charges, 482 distracted driving charges, 124 alcohol/drug impaired charges and various other traffic-related charges to motorists whose driving behaviours threatened the safety of other road users on one of the busiest traffic weekends of the year.   

While the OPP was relieved to see the weekend end with no fatalities on Ontario roads, officers did respond to two separate off-road vehicle (ORV) incidents in which both ORV drivers died.

Canada Road Safety Week is a national campaign aimed at educating drivers through education and enforcement, about the Big Four causal factors in motor vehicle collision fatalities. These are impaired, inattentive and aggressive driving as well as lack of seat belt use. 

The OPP is reminding drivers that while the campaign is over, officers remain highly focused on changing these driving behaviours around the clock, 365 days a year. 

SOURCE Ontario Provincial Police

Contacts by Region: Highway Safety Division: Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, Phone: [phone]; Central Region: A/Sgt. Lynda Cranney, Phone: [phone]; East Region: A/Sgt. Angie Atkinson, Phone: [phone]; Northwest Region: Prov. Const. Petrina Taylor-Hertz, Phone: [phone]; North East Region: Sgt. Chrystal Jones, Phone: [phone]; West Region: Sgt. Dave Rektor, Phone: [phone]

Related Links

http://www.opp.ca