Operation Impact in business this weekend

OPP News Release

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This Thanksgiving Weekend, October 9th to 12th, 2009 will mark Operation Impact, a national campaign to make Canada's roads the safest in the world.

This special weekend is a police initiative designed to remind people that an essential part of the enforcement job is to save lives and reduce injuries on our roadways. Educating the public in safe driving practices is a priority. The focus will be on behaviors that put drivers, passengers and other road users most at risk: impaired driving, seat belt use, and all aspects related to aggressive driving. All enforcement agencies across the country have been invited to participate.

"The deaths, pain and broken hearts that result from carelessness behind the wheel can be prevented," says Staff Sergeant Irving Sloss. "Police agencies across the country are collaborating on this project because they have seen more than enough of that, and because they know that the involvement of the driving public is essential to achieve safer streets and highways."

This initiative has been strategically chosen, as it is a significant long weekend. More people are traveling and traffic crashes are more frequent. Here in the North Bay, Mattawa, and Powassan area, there have been 29 deaths since January 1st, 2007 related to vehicle collisions. These are just numbers but they represent moms, dads, sisters, brothers, loved ones, co-workers, neighbors. It is unacceptable to the officers of the North Bay OPP cluster.

Operation Impact is sponsored by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and Transport Canada and is part of Road Safety Vision 2010, which has a goal of making Canada's roads the safest in the world by 2010.

"Dedicated to improving public safety on our roadways."

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