Impaired driving on the rise

Richard Mahoney
Impaired driving on the rise

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers across East Region arrested another 20 impaired drivers during the fifth week of the Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign.

This brings the total to 103 motorists charged with impaired driving since the initiative began November 21. “The OPP encourages everyone to celebrate the arrival of 2025 safely. Make plans in advance to get home, such as having a designated driver, taking a taxi or ride-share or public transit. Impaired driving can instantly change a celebration into a tragedy,” says Chief Superintendent Lisa Wilhelm, OPP East Region Commander.

Officers have conducted over 1,100 Festive RIDE programs across eastern Ontario, stopping vehicles to ensure the drivers were not impaired by alcohol or drugs. In addition to the impaired driving arrests, officers also issued a total of 29 warning-range suspensions, resulting on those drivers being issued licence suspensions and having their vehicles impounded.

If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 9-1-1. You could be saving lives.

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