Why June has been a deadly month on Ontario roads

ORILLIA, ON, June 23, 2015 /CNW/ - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has reported that 27 people have died on OPP-patrolled roads since the beginning of June (2015) and that the same poor driver behaviours were behind the majority of the deaths.       

The 27 deaths were the result of 23 road collisions that occurred between June 1 and 21. Four of the collisions involved double fatalities and one of the crashes resulted in the deaths of two motorcyclists. Two other fatal collisions in June led to the OPP charging two drivers with impaired causing death.      

"These senseless road deaths are revealing the same causal factors over and over again. Until all drivers stop speeding, driving impaired or distracted and ensure that everyone in their vehicle is buckled in, history will continue to repeat itself and innocent people will continue to die on our roads," said OPP Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair, Provincial Commander, Traffic Safety and Operational Support.

The fatal collisions in June to date push the total number of road deaths (on OPP-patrolled roads) up to 124.

With summer now officially under way, the OPP is urging all drivers to take Ontario traffic laws seriously and to recognize that they play a significant role in preventing these categories of collisions and deaths from occurring. 

All road users play a role in saving lives  

The OPP is encouraging passengers to speak up when being driven by someone who is using their cell phone or engaged in some other distracting activity behind the wheel. They are putting your life at risk! 

Whether you are a driver, a passenger, a cyclist or a pedestrian, call 9-1-1 if you suspect that someone is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. By doing so, you could be preventing more deaths on Ontario roads.   

SOURCE Ontario Provincial Police

Contacts by OPP Region: Highway Safety Division: Sergeant Kerry Schmidt, Phone: [phone]; Central Region: A/Sgt. Lynda Cranney, Phone: [phone]; East Region: Sergeant Kristine Rae, Phone: [phone]; Northwest Region: Sergeant Shelley Garr, Phone: [phone]; North East Region: Sergeant Carolle Dionne, Phone: [phone]; West Region: Sergeant Dave Rektor, Phone: [phone]