OPP had a challenging year on highways, trails and waterways

An Open letter from Inspector Mark Andrews -
Manager Traffic & Marine - North East Region Ontario Provincial Police.

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The Ontario Provincial Police - North East Region has had a very busy and challenging year. We have had successes and disappointments, and it's important to thank those officers who have, and continue to, work tirelessly making OPP patrolled highways, trails and waterways safe. I am confident that the thousands of charges laid, and the thousands of public contacts made have saved many lives. Important too, are those motorists who travel and share the roadways safely. Road safety is every road user's responsibility.

In the North East Region there has been 121 fewer crash victims this year than last - that's 121 fewer families and communities impacted by a collision's aftermath. There have been 158 fewer personal Injury and 432 fewer property damage collisions this year than last.

Notably, there has been an increase in traffic deaths in 2010, with 58 persons losing their lives in roadway crashes, 7 on MSV trails, 5 on ATVs and 7 on the water. The majority of the highway collisions were center line, head-on collisions. Many involved seniors, and most were
local residents, members of our communities. Our enforcement and education must target our local communities - that's who is dying. When an OPP officer sees a vehicle cross the center line, speed, drive aggressively, or when the occupants are not wearing their seat belt enforcement action must be taken. As a driver who has been stopped you may not thank the officer, but I do, and your family should. That enforcement action may have saved your life or someone else's.

North East Region OPP officers have removed, by way of charge or suspension, 1077 impaired drivers from our roadways, trails and waterways. Regrettably, three impaired causing death incidents occurred this year, however I am confident we may have prevented many others. The choice to drink and drive is a conscious one; the individuals who do this are a potential danger to you, your families and to police officers who are working diligently to save lives. The OPP will continue to apply strategic policing methods to identify impaired drivers and where we can find them.

OPP officers have had great successes in interdiction with close to a million dollars worth of drugs seized across our region. Those drugs did not make it into our communities, or our schools. Our continued efforts in this area are vital for the positive impact it does have. The successes have been across the region and lets drug dealers know that getting their product around Ontario will be difficult traveling through the north east part of the province.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to road safety in 2010 - in ways both big and small. A new year is here and ten days in, the North East Region 2011 traffic death toll count is zero.

Working together, we will continue to make a difference.

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