KAWARTHA LAKES-In an effort to reduce the number of preventable fatalities, the OPP, in partnership with police services across Canada, is conducting Operation Impact over the Thanksgiving Long Weekend. During this annual campaign, the OPP will conduct enforcement and raise awareness of these driving behaviours which, year after year, monopolize road fatality causal factors.
The OPP say that 182 of the 239 preventable fatalities on OPP-patrolled roads so far this year included one or more of the Big Four causal factors in road deaths which are:
Inattentive driving: 63 deaths
Speeding: 56 deaths
Alcohol/drug-impaired: 32 deaths
Lack of occupant restraint/seat belt use: 31 deaths
Operation Impact is a Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police -led campaign aimed at maximizing police and other partner resources for safer roads.
“No family or other road user traveling this Thanksgiving Long Weekend – or any other time – should have to worry about dying or being injured because of the careless actions of another driver. The single greatest influence on reducing this senseless loss of life is safe, defensive drivers who observe traffic laws at all times. The OPP remains committed to doing its part, but we count on these drivers every day to help us save lives.”-OPP Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair, Provincial Commander, Traffic Safety and Operational Support.
According to Transport Canada’s last complete year of traffic data, 1,852 people died and 10,280 more were seriously injured on Canadian roads in 2015.
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