The Upper Ottawa Valley OPP says that one impaired driver is one too many.
Constable Shawn Peever compared this year and last year’s Festive Ride Campaign statistics and said that there’s always room for improvement.
He adds that last year’s campaign had officers conduct 214 checks where four drivers were charged for impaired driving and two saw their licenses suspended after falling in the warn range.
Peever says that this year’s campaign, which ran from November 23rd till January 2nd, had officers conduct 245 checks. In those checks, six drivers were charged with alcohol impaired driving or refusal, five saw their licenses suspended for being in the warn range and one was charged with drug impaired driving.
He says that the jury’s still out on the effect of the legalization of cannabis and the results of the campaign but does point out that the OPP now have better techniques and training to detect drivers who are under the influence of drugs.