London Police are embarking on their mission to keep the road ways safe this holiday weekend.
The Operation Impact initiative runs from October 6-9th, and is a national campaign to make Canadian roadways safe.
Police will be tackling the big four dangers on road ways: impaired driving, seat belt use, and all aspects related to aggressive and distracted driving.
“We see so many people moving around right across Canada, so a campaign like this is imperative to ensure the safety of motorists as they visit their families,” said Sargent Sean Harding of the London Police service.
The initiative is part of Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2025, which has a goal of making Canada’s roads the safest in the world.
“You know, the devastation I’ve seen in my 11 years in the force from collisions is tremendous. I’ve seen lives taken away, families ripped apart, so we here at the London police service really want to stress the importance of driving sober and non-distracted,” said Sargent Harding.
According to police, there have been 51 collision related deaths in London over the last five years alone, with hundreds of others getting injured over that time.
“Of course, this takes a toll out on us (police) as well. You just can’t get used to having to inform a family that their relatives were involved in a fatal collision,” says Harding.
Sargent Harding says that as apart of the Operation Impact initiative, multiple ride programs will be set up around the city, in addition to an added police force patrolling city streets and highways.
