Whether heading to the cottage, hitting the water, or taking in nature on the trail, provincial police want you to make safety a priority this Civic long weekend.
The OPP have advised they will have an increased presence on roadways, waterways, and the trails through holiday Monday. Officers will be looking for those acting in a dangerous manner, including people speeding, driving distracted or impaired, and anyone not wearing a seatbelt. According to the OPP, these behaviours are the leading contributing factors in serious collisions and fatalities in Ontario.
So far this year, 182 people have been killed in collisions on OPP patrolled roads. There have also been eight boaters/paddlers killed in marine incidents and eight people who have died in off-road vehicle crashes.
"If you're heading out this Civic long holiday weekend please make sure that you always put your safety as a priority," said Sergeant Ed Sanchuk. "Whether you are on land, water, or you're enjoying the trails, we want to make sure that every one has an enjoyable long holiday weekend. But more importantly, not having a police officer knocking at your door saying that something bad has happened to your loved one."
Sanchuk said some of the easiest ways to avoid tragedy when behind the wheel are to drive cautiously, sober, and eliminate distractions such as cellphones. On the water or on a trail, he stressed to always have the proper safety equipment before heading out. That includes lifejackets and helmets.
Police will also be cracking down this long weekend on drivers who fail to move over for emergency vehicles. Under Ontario's "move over" law, drivers are required to slow down and move over when approaching emergency vehicles that are stopped with their emergency lights activated.
"Last year in 2024, we laid almost 2,000 charges for people failing to move over for emergency vehicles. That's police vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks, and tow trucks," said Sanchuk.
Drivers who do not comply with the move over law can be fined between $490 to $2,000 and issued three demerit points upon conviction. Fines for repeat offenders can go as high as $4,000 with a possible jail sentence up to six months and a two year driver's licence suspension.
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