OPP call for responsibility on roads, trails, lakes this long weekend

As we head into the Labour Day long weekend, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are stressing that drivers follow all of the rules of the road.

An undated photo of an Ontario Provincial Police reduce impaired driving everywhere program (RIDE) traffic stop. (File photo/Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Police are conducting a four-day blitz focusing on what they call the ‘big four.’

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Whether you’re travelling by car, boat, or ATV this long weekend, officers said that they will have an eye out for any lawbreakers.

“Don't take the chance. It's not worth it,” said Const. Michelle Simard.

“It's not worth your life and it's certainly not worth the lives of others.”

• OPP say watch for kids, buses and don't 'overshare' as children head back to school

This long weekend, police are conducting traffic blitzes to focus on four laws that they continue to see drivers disobey:

• Aggressive driving/speeding/distracted driving
• Alcohol/drug-impaired driving
• Not moving over for emergency vehicles
• Lack of or improper use of seatbelts

Police officials told CTV News that these behaviours are the main causes of death and injury in motor vehicle collisions on OPP-patrolled roads. Close to 13,000 speeding charges have already been laid in the northeast region alone since Jan. 1.

“These are charges that we see reoccurring all the time,” said Simard.

“We need to remind drivers, first of all, that it's a privilege to have a driver's license. That’s number one.”

OPP statistics painted a dark picture of last year’s Labour Day weekend enforcement.

An Ontario Provincial Police vehicle with the front passenger door opened. (File Photo/Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police)

There were 10,000 traffic charges across the province last Labour Day weekend. Nearly 5,900 of them were for speeding, while close to 140 were for stunt driving and a whopping 458 charges were laid for people not wearing a seatbelt.

There were a number of fatal incidents that occurred on roads, waterways and trails over the last Labour Day long weekend, resulting in the deaths of six people in Ontario.

An undated photo of Ontario Provincial Police and other first responders at the scene of a motor vehicle collision on a northern Ontario highway. (File photo/Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

“Whether it’s 10 in the morning or 10 at night, will be out there in full force for sure, ensuring that everybody enjoys a safe holiday weekend,” Simard said.

An undated photo of an Ontario Provincial Police reduce impaired driving everywhere program (RIDE) traffic stop. (Ontario Provincial Police/Facebook)

Across the entire northeast region, officers have laid over 210 stunt driving charges, over 150 distracted driving charges and nearly 400 seatbelt-related charges this year.

A seatbelt. (Pexels/Luke Miller)

Additionally, officers have laid over 710 impaired driving charges.

A glass of whiskey with ice, car keys and police handcuffs. (File photo/AlexRaths/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

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That’s a number that organizations like MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) remain deeply frustrated with.

“This is an issue that has been spoke about by ourselves, other traffic safety organizations, and governments for decades now,” said Eric Dumschat, MADD’s legal director.

“It's still very disappointing to see that there are so many people who have yet to understand the message that impaired driving kills.”

Ontario Provincial Police are urging the public to report suspected impaired drivers. (File photo/Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police)

Police urge anyone who witnesses unsafe driving or boating to contact them.