The Ontario Provincial Police is urging motorists to make safe choices behind the wheel as officers prepare for increased traffic volumes during the Victoria Day long weekend and Canada Road Safety Week.
The OPP said speeding, alcohol- and drug-impaired driving, driver inattention and failure to wear seatbelts were linked to a significant number of the 344 fatalities investigated by the force on OPP-patrolled roads in 2025.
Police said while the number of road deaths fluctuates from year to year, the leading causes and contributing factors remain consistent.
“As we head into the Victoria Day long weekend — one of the busiest weekends on our roads — as a driver, please remember that every person travelling with or near you stands to pay the price when you choose to take risks behind the wheel,” the OPP said in a release.
“So do their families. If you are a passenger, don’t let your family pay the price because you chose not to buckle up.”
During Canada Road Safety Week, which runs May 12 to 18, the OPP and policing partners across the country will focus on targeted enforcement and education aimed at risky driving behaviours.
Police are also reminding drivers to be aware of increased pedestrian and cyclist traffic as warmer weather returns across the province.
The campaign is led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and forms part of Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2035 and Beyond, which aims to make Canada’s roads the safest in the world.
The OPP said it remains committed to improving safety across more than 130,000 kilometres of roadway in Ontario and reminded motorists that “some of the most consequential decisions of their lives are made behind the wheel.”
