Drive safely over holiday weekend, OPP urges motorists

Police are pleading with residents to drive safely over the August civic holiday weekend.

More than 80 per cent of traffic-related deaths on roads this year are the result of careless driving, OPP said Thursday in a warning ahead of the long weekend.

To date, 138 people have died on Opp-patrolled roads this year. More than half of those deaths involved alcohol or drugs, careless driving or lack of seatbelt use.

The reminder is timely in Essex County, where police have charged five drivers with stunt driving in the last three days.

In one instance, a 19-year-old Leamington man was charged with going more than 100 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. In two other instances, drivers were charged with travelling between 110 and 125 km/h in a 60 km/h zone in Kingsville.

Essex County OPP report that the drivers had their licences suspended for seven days and their vehicles impounded for two weeks.

As of July 1, the penalties coming from a stunt driving charge got more severe: an automatic vehicle impoundment of 14 days. Stunt driving charges can now be laid where drivers are caught travelling more than 40 km/h over the limit in a zone were the limit is 80 km/h or slower.

Police warned officers will be patrolling roads this weekend — and drivers are reminded of their legal obligation to slow down and move over for stopped police vehicles, as well as tow trucks and emergency vehicles, on the side of the highway.

Failure to slow down and move over carries a fine of between $490 and $2,000, as well as three demerit points if convicted.