The Ontario Provincial Police are warning drivers to think twice before getting behind the wheel impaired, as the number of impaired driving incidents continues to rise across the region this summer.
“It’s been a busy summer so far,” said OPP Const. Jeffery Hare. “We’ve had a lot of impaired drivers that we’ve taken off the road both through alcohol and drug use, in particular marijuana.”
Photo From: ( Canadian Center on Substance Use and Addiction )
Hare showed alcohol-related impairment is the number one reason for most of the incidents, but the legalizing of marijuana has added a new dimension of concern for police. Although the police are trained to identify impairment, Hare showed that public assistance still ranks as a leading element of enforcement.
“Yes, we do have a great deal of traffic complaints, which is great,” he said. “Impaired driving reports , erratic speeds, and erratic lane changing are some of the indicators that we’re searching for.”
The OPP continues to train front-line officers in special methods and equip them with devices like the Approved Screening Device (ASD) that allow officers to screen for alcohol at the side of the road.
“We are lucky to have a lot of training,” Hare said. “The officers collaborate, communicate with one another, and talk back and forth. If we believe that an individual has had a few and has driven, we can use the ASD to confirm.”
Photo From: ( isure )
Despite enforcement gear and public awareness campaigns, drunk driving is an ongoing issue across Ontario. Hare explains some drivers continue to downplay both the law and personal consequences.
The worst that can happen is murdering somebody,” he told me. “It would be terrible. But even if that doesn’t happen if you get caught, it’s a seven-day car towing, a 90-day license suspension, and thousands of dollars in court fees. It just isn’t worth it”.
As police return to patrols across Southwestern Ontario this summer, Hare is encouraging the public that a phone tip calling in a suspected drunk driver could be the difference between life and death.
