Police busy over long weekend

Two people died on Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-patrolled roads on the Saturday of the recent long weekend. One of the deceased males was a passenger involved in a motor-vehicle collision and a second male lost his life in a boating incident.

The following day, a male cyclist died after colliding with a motor vehicle. Later that evening, another male died when his off-road vehicle and another vehicle were involved in a road collision.

The fatalities were part of a busy August long weekend for the OPP, as they investigated four traffic and marine-related deaths, conducted their “Slow Down, Move Over” campaign and partnered with the Canadian Safe Boating Council for the annual “Operation Dry Water” impaired boating campaign.

Despite having issued a pre-weekend public reminder about the OPP’s long weekend Slow Down, Move Over campaign, the OPP charged more than 450 drivers under Highway Traffic Act (HTA) Section 159 for failing to slow down and/ or moving over for emergency vehicles and tow trucks parked on the roadside with their lights activated.

While the enforcement data is still preliminary, the long weekend charges bring the total year-to-date number of HTA 159 charges to approximately 1,300. The law is intended to provide greater safety for emergency personnel who must work on the roadside, often in busy traffic conditions.