Festive RIDE program ends with over 30 impaired related charges

January 4, 2024 · 0 Comments

Dufferin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have concluded the Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign, and the results are in.

The Festive RIDE campaign, which ran from Nov. 16, 2023, until Jan. 2, 2024, was led by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and involves a collaboration among Ontario police services to keep roads free of alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired drivers.

During the campaign, police officers were highly visible as they conducted RIDE initiatives 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The results of the RIDE campaign show that drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs continue to pose a threat to Ontario roads.

• Officers conducted 259 RIDE Programs

• Total hours spent conducting RIDE – 738 hours

• 21 Drivers charged with impaired operation related offences

• 32 total impaired related charges

“Dufferin OPP would like to thank the concerned citizens who contacted police to report a possible impaired driver. These calls save lives and therefore we treat them as a high priority. If you suspect an impaired driver, make that lifesaving call and dial 9-1-1,” said Dufferin OPP in a press release,

“Members of the public are reminded to plan to not drive when planning to drink or consume drugs. There are many alternative options to remove impaired driving from the picture, such as a designated driver, taxi, rideshare, public transit or staying the night.”

Festive RIDE is wrapping up however you can still expect to see Dufferin OPP officers out day and night ensuring drivers are driving sober.