Police taking to the streets for Christmas R.I.D.E. programs

OVER THE PAST 15 years (since 2003), 987 people have died in preventable alcohol/drug-related collisions on OPP-patrolled roads, police reported this week.

Of that, 464 (47 per cent) of the 987 deceased were innocent victims in these crashes, while the other 523 (53 per cent) were the atfault impaired driver.

So far this year, 37 people have died in collisions linked to an alcohol or

NOVEMBER 20

8:00 PM | A Wellington County OPP officer was monitoring traffic on Wellington Road 18 near Salem when he noticed a 2013 Volkswagen sedan at a speed that appeared to be well above the posted 80 km/h speed limit. The vehicle was locked on radar in excess of 150 km/h. The driver, a 20-year-old Elora woman, was pulled over and charged with ‘race a motor vehicle.’ Her driver’s licence and vehicle were seized for a period of seven days as per statute. She is scheduled to appear in Guelph Provincial Court on January 3.

NOVEMBER 22

6:08 AM | Police responded to a multi-vehicle collision on Arthur Street north of Elmira. A 29-year-old man from Mono Township was driving a 55-ton concrete pumper southbound on Arthur Street, approaching the crest of a hill near Sideroad 5, when he lost control of the vehicle due to the icy road conditions. The truck rotated 180 degrees and came to rest on its side in the northbound ditch. The driver sustained minor injuries. The truck contained 1,000 gallons of mineral-based hydraulic oil, some of which leaked out of the truck, forcing Woolwich firefighters to contain the spill with bales of hay. Officials from Waterloo Region and the Ministry of the Environment responded to the scene. The road was closed for approximately 12 hours. drug-impaired driver, 19 of whom were innocent victims. This year marks the fourth consecutive year to see a higher number of innocent people killed than impaired drivers who caused the collision, police note.

It’s with those numbers in mind that police will be out for their annual festive “Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere” (R.I.D.E.) campaign, which gets underway this week. 6:42 AM | As a result of the concrete truck collision, a 27-year old Drayton man driving a Ford pickup truck stopped in the southbound lanes of Arthur Street North. A Nissan Juke, driven by a 32-year- old Arthur man, was stopped behind the Ford when a 24-year-old Drayton man driving a Ford pickup rear-ended the Nissan, which was pushed into the path of a transport truck driven by a 65-year-old Teeswater man. No one was injured, but the Ford pickup driven by the 24-year-old Drayton man had to be towed from the scene. 7:34 AM | A 41-year-old woman driving a horse-drawn buggy eastbound on Church Street west of Elmira was passing Floradale Road when she was struck by a Ford pickup truck being driven southbound on Floradale Road by a 51-year-old Mildmay man. After stopping at the stop sign, the pickup driver proceeded southbound through the intersection; the buggy driver veered right, but was struck by the pickup and careened eastbound into the ditch. No one was injured, but the Mildmay man was charge with ‘failing to yield.’ 2:40 PM | Wellington County OPP responded to a collision involving a 2007 Chevrolet minivan on County Road 7 near Sideroad 10, Township of Centre Wellington. While speaking with the female driver, officers formed the opinion that she was under the influence of