Wellington County Drivers Not Getting The Message On Drinking And Driving
The Provincial Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E.) campaign has concluded and Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) led all OPP jurisdictions in alcohol related driving charges.
The Provincial R.I.D.E. campaign which ran from November 24, 2017 until January 2, 2018 is aimed at improving the safety of all drivers and passengers on the road by getting individuals operating their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol, off the roads.
Wellington County OPP conducted over 100 R.I.D.E. checks throughout the campaign and charged a total of 27 drivers with driving while impaired or refuse to provide a breath sample. 34 drivers were issued a Warn Range Suspension for driving with a Blood-Alcohol concentration between .05 and .08. Of these drivers, 29 lost their licence for three days; four drivers saw a seven day suspension and one driver received a 30 day licence suspension. Driving within this range impairs one’s ability to drive safely.
In addition to alcohol related driving charges, officers issued 35 drug related warnings mainly for possession of marihuana. Nine drivers or passengers received drug related charges including two individuals in separate occurrences being charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.
During the course of the campaign officers investigated seven motor vehicle collisions where alcohol was a factor with one of these collisions resulting in the passenger sustaining critical life altering injuries. Two collisions involved novice drivers being charged for having blood-alcohol content above zero. One investigation found the at-fault driver had only reinstated his driver’s licence 50 minutes prior to the collision after receiving a three day suspension for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was also required to have an ignition interlock device as a result of yet another previous alcohol related charge. Officers found that his vehicle was not equipped with the device. He was subsequently charged and his vehicle impounded for seven days.
“I’m incredibly proud of the hard work all of the officers put in during the course of this campaign,” Detachment Commander Scott Lawson, “our Festive R.I.D.E. team members dedicated evenings and weekends to ensure safety on our roads. Front Line members ensured that they participated as able which contributed to the success of the campaign. The number of charges is a direct reflection of our commitment to impaired driving and traffic safety. It’s unfortunate however, that despite all the options available to drivers and all the awareness surrounding the dangers of driving while impaired, we have individuals still getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol. Because of individuals like them we will continue our efforts thru 2018 to crack down on impaired drivers and to protect the public from their selfish actions.”
While the provincial R.I.D.E. campaign has concluded today, our County R.I.D.E program will remain in effect until January 6, 2018.
