OPP prepared to R.I.D.E.

The OPP Festive R.I.D.E. campaign will once again be taking aim at impaired drivers.

Further information is included in the following news release issued today by the North Bay Ontario Provincial Police detachment:

Impaired driving remains the leading criminal cause of death in Canada. The North Bay OPP Cluster (which includes officers from North Bay, Mattawa and Powassan) will be out in your neighbourhood in an effort to remove the threat of the impaired driver, and reduce the death toll on Ontario roads.

The annual Festive R.I.D.E. (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign commences on Friday Nov. 25, and concludes Monday Jan. 2, 2006.

Last year, during the five-week OPP Festive R.I.D.E. Initiative, officers in the cluster stopped 8,559 vehicles at roadside checkpoints.

One person was charged with criminal code alcohol-related offences and received a 90-day Administrative Drivers Licence Suspension.

One person received a 12-hour licence suspension.

During that same time period, officers investigated 16 motor vehicle collisions.

Of that, three collisions included a total of five people injured. Four motor vehicle collisions involved the consumption of alcohol.

The North Bay OPP Cluster will be doing their part to remove impaired drivers from our roadways. Please do yours by not drinking and driving.

DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE!!