OPP officers would like to remind motorists, boaters, and All-Terrain Vehicle enthusiasts to drive with care and the consideration needed to get to your destination safely this weekend.
"Every operator has a responsibility to direct their entire attention to driving safely," says an OPP news release. "Drivers need to remember that the true danger to public safety lies in the distraction, not the device. Distracted driving refers to all forms of distracted or inattentive driving, such as adjusting a vehicle's entertainment or GPS unit or stereo, eating and driving, using a hand-held device, self-grooming or tending to children in the backseat."
Collision fatalities in which driver inattention was a factor have surpassed alcohol-related fatalities since distracted driving laws came into effect.
"This Canada Day, celebrate the correct way…pay attention, don't drink and drive and, when you are safe to do so, report bad driving to your nearest police agency immediately. Lives are depending on it."
Speeding drivers as the number one cause of road fatalities so far this year, with the death toll in this category 76 per cent higher than this time last year.
As of June 26, speeding has been linked with 30 road deaths on OPP-patrolled roads, compared to 17 in 2016.
Excessive speed continues to threaten the safety of other road users with more than 1,400 charges so far this year laid by the OPP against drivers clocked at 50 km/h or more over the posted speed limit.
During the Canada Day long weekend, OPP officers throughout the province will set their sights on speeding and all other forms of aggressive driving. These behaviours include following too closely, unsafe passing and lane changes, failing to yield right-of-way, road rage and other dangerous, high-risk driving behaviours.
