The 2022 Festive “Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere” (RIDE) campaign has wrapped up for another year, with a significant number of drivers in West Region now facing criminal charges.

Here’s a snapshot of this year’s campaign results, with last year’s numbers in parentheses across all West Region:

• Impaired driving charges: 278 (280)
• Warn-range suspensions: 49 (55)
• Number of RIDE checkpoints: 1904 (1243)

Here are the numbers for Essex County.

·        Over the duration of the campaign, OPP officers worked 24/7, conducting 153 RIDE events across Essex County issuing 29 impaired driving charges.

·        Over and above the charges, officers issued 5 Warn Range suspensions to drivers whose roadside breath test registered a Blood Alcohol Concentration of between .05 and .08.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) remains committed to ensuring Ontario roads are safe from drug-impaired and alcohol-impaired drivers.

The OPP Festive RIDE Campaign ran from November 16, 2022, to January 3, 2023.

Photo by Chris Anson