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The Labour Day long-weekend is around the corner – and police are continuing to plead with all motorists to do their part to make sure everyone gets to and from their destinations safely.
The last long-weekend of summer will mean more traffic on highways, local roads, trails and waterways, and OPP is gearing up for enhanced patrols, but say it’s already been a deadly year.
“Despite OPP officers working 24-7 across the province to keep roads safe this year, drivers and passengers have contributed to a significant number of preventable road deaths,” said OPP, in another recent appeal to the public just ahead of the long-weekend.
“As of mid-August, 214 have died on OPP-patrolled roads this year, with speeding, alcohol/drugs, driver inattention and lack of seatbelt use accounting for a significant number of the fatalities.”
While the calls for all motorists to do their part continue, these issues remain the leading causes or contributing factors in road deaths year-after-year.
Officers – including in Northumberland – will be targeting motorists engaging in these and other unsafe driving behaviours “on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.”
Police also continue to urge people to report suspected impaired driving and any other dangerous drivers by calling 911, stressing that phone call could save a life.
Boaters, paddlers and off-roaders are also being asked to do their part by wearing life jackets, helmets and other safety gear, which ultimately gives people the best chance of surviving a serious incident or crash.
Across the province, OPP patrols close to 100,000 kilometres of waterways and trails and more than 130,000 kilometres of roads.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
