Over 800 suspected impaired drivers charged during holiday RIDE campaign: Ontario police
Posted January 6, 2023 1:55 pm.
Last Updated January 6, 2023 1:56 pm.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) released what authorities called sobering statistics on Friday, revealing that over 800 suspected impaired drivers were charged during the seven-week festive RIDE campaign.
OPP said 812 motorists were pulled over and arrested, including 1,258 impaired driving offences handed out. Officers conducted over 10,000 RIDE stops during the festive campaign, with officers looking into over 24,000 drivers suspected of operating a vehicle while under the influence.
“RIDE stops will continue year-round. We may not be everywhere, but we could be anywhere,” an OPP spokesperson noted.
The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) said the campaign strategy aims to take alcohol and drug-impaired drivers off the roads, adding that there is never an excuse for impaired driving.
Ontario’s festive RIDE initiative started on Nov. 17, 2022, and wrapped up on Jan. 2, 2023.
Earlier this week, a pedestrian was struck and injured by a suspected drunk driver in Toronto. The victim was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Police say they arrested the driver for alleged impaired driving on the scene.
On Tuesday, Toronto police informed CityNews that they arrested 33 people for impaired driving over the New Year’s holiday weekend.
