OPP, Municipal and First Nations Policing Services United Against Impaired Driving
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) West Region officers are joining forces with their municipal and First Nations policing counterparts to combat impaired driving this holiday season, as the annual Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign rolls out across southwestern Ontario.
Festive RIDE is an annual police enforcement and education initiative aimed at taking impaired drivers off Ontario roads during the holiday season. This year’s OPP Festive RIDE Campaign runs from November 16, 2023, to January 1, 2024.
Drivers can expect a heightened OPP presence on West Region roads and highways, in addition to the highly visible and dedicated efforts made by our municipal and First Nations policing partners, as officers conduct RIDE checks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the province.
The Festive RIDE campaign closes out enhanced West Region OPP efforts to combat impaired driving this year.
To date in 2023, West Region members have conducted 7170 RIDE check events in all 13 detachment areas, compared to 3559 RIDE check events in 2022 (166% increase).
So far in 2023, 18 people have lost their lives in alcohol/drug related collisions in West Region, compared to 32 deaths in 2022.
West Region members have laid over 2000 impaired driving charges to date in 2023, compared to 1801 charges over the same timeframe in 2022 (11% increase).
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) remains committed to ensuring Ontario roads are safe from drug-impaired and alcohol-impaired drivers.
Ontario citizens are reminded to do their part during the campaign by never driving after consuming alcohol or drugs and never letting anyone else drive if you know or suspect that they have consumed either.
Drivers are reminded that no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe when driving.
If you suspect an impaired driver, make that lifesaving call and dial 9-1-1.
For more information concerning the consequences and penalties of impaired driving, please click here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/