As Ontarians gear up for Canada Day and the summer season, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is stepping up enforcement and education around life-saving safety equipment on roads, trails and waterways.
In the past three years (2022–2024), 188 people lost their lives on OPP-patrolled roads in collisions where a seatbelt was either not worn or improperly used. The OPP stresses that buckling up takes only seconds and can mean the difference between life and death in a crash. Drivers are reminded to ensure everyone in the vehicle, including children and toddlers, is properly restrained.
Off-road, 43 of the 88 fatalities recorded in OPP jurisdiction during the same period involved riders not wearing helmets. The OPP urges all off-road vehicle users to wear an approved, properly fitted helmet every time they ride, even on private property. The message also extends to motorcyclists and cyclists, who are reminded that helmets are a critical safeguard against injury on the road.
On the water, lifejackets remain the most neglected piece of safety equipment. Of the 72 fatalities in marine incidents investigated by the OPP from 2022 to 2024, 59 victims were not wearing a lifejacket. Whether boating, paddling or using a stand-up paddle board, the OPP says a lifejacket is only effective if it is worn—not stowed or discarded.
The OPP is urging everyone to prioritize safety as they celebrate the holiday weekend and head into summer, with a shared responsibility to protect lives on Ontario’s roads, trails and waterways.
