Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers across East Region continue efforts to make the roads and highways safer over the holiday season.
The provincial police have just completed the third week of the annual Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign.
The campaign began on November 20, and during its first two weeks, OPP officers from the Québec boundary to Quinte West and northwest through the Ottawa Valley, conducted more than 500 Festive RIDE checkpoints. Police stopped hundreds of drivers to ensure they were not impaired by alcohol or drugs.
The OPP arrested and charged 49 drivers with being impaired behind the wheel. Each of those drivers had their licence suspended for 90-days and their vehicle was impounded for seven-days, plus they each have a scheduled court appearance.
In addition to the impaired driving arrests, officers issued nine three-day licence suspensions for drivers who were found to be in the warn range on an approved roadside alcohol screening device.
The Festive RIDE campaign runs until January 1, 2026. Expect to see RIDE programs day or night, seven days a week.
If you suspect someone is driving impaired by drugs or alcohol, call 9-1-1. You could be saving lives.
