Provincial police are urging driver safety heading into the Thanksgiving long weekend as yearly traffic-related deaths continue to climb.
The Ontario Provincial Police said a total of 268 people have died in collisions on OPP-patrolled roads so far this year, which is a 24 per cent increase compared to the same time last year.
“Numerous friends and family members will be missing loved ones at their Thanksgiving long weekend gatherings this year,” the OPP said in a news release. “The majority of the deaths were no ‘accident’ and were the result of motorists consciously making bad decisions behind the wheel and failing to take seriously their enormous responsibility to drive and share the road safely.”
The OPP said 69 fatalities have been linked to speed-related collisions, while 57 deaths were caused by inattentive driving. Another 40 traffic deaths were a result of impaired driving and 40 more were the result of not wearing a seat belt.
Over the long weekend, the OPP will be conducting an annual traffic safety campaign to target impaired, aggressive and distracted driving. The campaign, called Operation Impact, will also see officers looking for vehicle occupants who fail to fasten their seat belts.
