OPP officials allege: Seven vehicle occupants, a pedestrian and three off-road vehicle riders were killed in Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) jurisdictions, making for a particularly tragic Thanksgiving long weekend on and off the road.
Over and above the fatalities, the safety of road users was jeopardized by thousands of unsafe drivers during one of the busiest weekends of the year on highways and roads.
While the OPP took part in the annual Operation Impact campaign, aggressive drivers posed the most significant risk on roads, with officers laying 4,902 speeding charges and 133 stunt/racing charges.
Among other poor road behaviours, drivers and passengers were fined for 388 seatbelt law violations.
Impaired driving resulted in 163 Criminal Code charges while 85 fines were issued for distracted driving.
In total, the OPP laid 8,870 traffic-related charges throughout Ontario over the four-day campaign (October 11-14, 2024).
The motoring public is reminded that complying with all traffic laws can go a long way towards preventing collisions, injuries and fatalities on and off the road.
Operation Impact is led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, under the leadership of its Traffic Safety Committee, in support of Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2025.
Members of the Lambton County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) took part in the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend Traffic Campaign from October 11, 2024, to October 14, 2024.
Operation Impact is an education and enforcement campaign implemented in an effort to increase public compliance with traffic laws, and targets the behaviours that place drivers, passengers, and other road users at risk, such as the “Big Four” which include:
· Distracted driving,
· Alcohol/drug- impaired driving,
· Speeding/aggressive driving,
· Lack of seatbelt use.
This year, Lambton County OPP officers conducted more than 202 traffic stops and laid more than 139 charges during the initiative. Some of the charges included are the following:
– 104 speeding charges,
– Three stunt driving charges,
– Two seatbelt charges,
– Two impaired driving charges,
– 21 other traffic-related charges.
Lambton County OPP officers also issued more than 120 warnings to motorists during the campaign period.
In Elgin County and Chatham-Kent, officers conducted more than 160 traffic stops and laid more than 165 charges during the initiative.
Some of the charges included are the following:
– 114 speeding charges,
– One stunt driving charge,
– Three seatbelt charges,
– Six impaired driving charges,
– One distracted driving charge,
– 26 other traffic-related charges.
Elgin OPP officers also issued more than 70 warnings to motorists during the campaign period.
