OPP, other police agencies kick off festive RIDE campaign
The message from Ontario Provincial Police and other police forces is clear: don’t drink and drive.
With the Holidays fast approaching, the OPP’s festive RIDE campaign is starting. Drivers are reminded police are allowed to demand a roadside breath sample without having a reasonable suspicion that a driver is impaired.
Police said drug recognition evaluators and field sobriety testing officers can detect impaired driving, regardless of whether the impairment is a result of alcohol or drug consumption.
Officers with the OPP, North Bay police, the military police and the Anishinabek police kick-started the first RIDE check of the year along Highway 17B on Thursday afternoon just outside of North Bay.
Statistics for the northeast region show in the last five years, impaired driving is up by about six per cent. In 2021, 560 drivers in the northeast were charged, compared to more than 470 recorded so far this year.
It's frustrating for police because some drivers still aren't getting the message.
"There are more and more ways to get home safely as we get along in years, considering ride-sharing, taxis, friends and a lot of non-profit organizations that are willing to give people a ride home,” said OPP Insp. Michael Maville.
“So there's a level of frustration."
The Festive RIDE campaign runs from Nov. 17 until Jan. 2. During the campaign, expect to see officers set up along a road as they conduct RIDE stops 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.