Traffic fatalities down in Ontario over May long weekend

News Release
O.P.P.

ORILLIA, ON, May 20 /CNW/ - Five people were killed in collisions on roads the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patrols over the Victoria Day weekend, down from seven for the same weekend in 2007. There was also one ATV fatality this year.
The OPP seized 145 vehicles and suspended the drivers’ licenses on the spot over the weekend, bringing to 3,884 the number of seven-day suspensions the OPP has handed out since street racing legislation came into effect last September 30. Province-wide, police services have seized 5,139 vehicles and suspended the drivers’ licenses for seven days for motorists travelling more than 50 kilometres over the posted speed limit.
“The hard work of the men and women of the OPP all weekend was a major reason why fewer people were killed over the weekend,” OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said. “If officers hadn’t been out there looking for speeders, aggressive drivers and those who weren’t buckled up, it could have been a lot worse, especially given the poor weather conditions much of the weekend.”
Rain, snow in the north and high winds reduced the time the OPP’s two aircraft were used over the weekend. The OPP plane patrolled Highway 400 while a rented plane was used on Highway 69 between Parry Sound and Sudbury.
Three women died Friday in Colborne when the driver made a U-turn in front of a tractor trailer and an Oshawa woman was killed when her minivan slammed into a tree north of Peterborough while alcohol allegedly played a part in a fatal crash in the Napanee area. A Simcoe man was killed in an ATV crash in the Orillia area.
The OPP laid 5,032 speeding charges over the weekend under the Highway Traffic Act. In addition, officers laid 489 seatbelt charges, 109 impaired driving charges, nine driving while prohibited charges and issued 183 12-hour suspensions. Fortunately, there were no marine deaths on waterways under OPP jurisdiction over the Victoria Day weekend.
Last week was National Safe Driving Week, Canada Road Safety Week and North American Safe Boating Awareness Week across Canada and the United States.
During Canada Road Safety Week, the OPP laid 150 impaired charges and handed out 243 12-hour suspensions. They seized 146 vehicles and suspended the driver’s license on the spot for travelling more than 50 kilometres over the posted limit and laid an additional 7,474 speeding charges. Province-wide, the OPP charged 885 people with seatbelt infractions.
The most extreme case of the long weekend involved a 17-year-old Barrie driver who was charged with going 239 kph in an 80 zone on Highway 26 north of Barrie. His father’s Lincoln was impounded and the youth was charged with street racing, careless driving and failure to surrender his licence.
The OPP also teamed up with the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Natural Resources to target unsafe vehicles and fishermen who were fishing bass out of season. At one checkpoint, 25 anglers were cited for ishing out of season, illegal transport and concealing the species of fish.
Overall, the number of persons killed on OPP-patrolled roads to date in 2008 is down 27.3 per cent from last year (112 vs. 154). Alcohol, speed and no seatbelt-related fatalities are also down significantly over the same 20 weeks of 2007.
“That’s great news,” Fantino said, “but unfortunately, despite all the media attention, the large signs on the highways and the increased presence of OPP vehicles on the highways, people still don’t seem to be getting the message about slowing down.
“Our goal is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on roads the OPP patrols,” Fantino concluded.