OPP Manitoulin Festive RIDE checks begin
The Manitoulin Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is conducting its annual RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign from Monday, November 23 to Saturday January 2, 2016. The OPP is reminding motorists that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption when driving. Immediate roadside driver’s licence suspension will be issued by the OPP to driver’s who register a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) in the “Warn Range” of .05 to .08. Offenders will not be allowed to drive from that point on for a minimum of three days.
The Festive RIDE roadside checkpoints have become a familiar part of the holiday season and an effective countermeasure to the road safety issue of impaired driving. If you plan on drinking alcohol this festive season, plan to not drive. Instead, arrange for a designated driver, take a taxi or stay overnight.
Impaired driving remains the leading cause of criminal death in Canada. While OPP does increase their number of RIDE stops over the holidays, they are reminding drivers that RIDE stops are carried out throughout the year.
One drink can reduce your ability to concentrate and slow your reaction time. The more alcohol in your blood, the more trouble you have judging distances. Drivers who blow over the legal limit (.08) or refuse a breath test will have their driver’s licences suspended immediately for 90 days under Ontario’s Administrative Drivers Licence Suspension Program. This 90-day suspension is separate and distinct from any criminal charges.
Staff/Sergeant Kevin Webb, Manitoulin OPP Detachment Commander, states, “The holidays are a happy time to spend with family and loved ones. I urge you all please don’t let it be marred by tragedy with drinking and driving. The key is to have a plan, take turns with friends and family and have a designated driver, stay put for the night if you can or arrange for someone to pick you up. We all have to do our part in being responsible. Please don’t drink and drive and let’s have a holiday everyone can enjoy.”
Lock it or Lose it Campaign Kicks into gear for the holiday season
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Manitoulin Detachment is participating in the province-wide Lock it or Lose it campaign and warning motorists about the dangers of property and identity theft resulting from unlocked vehicles or the leaving of valuables in plain view. The campaign is sponsored by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police’s (OACP) and encourages drivers to take precautions to protect their vehicles and vehicle contents from theft, particularly during the holiday season.
“Leaving vehicles unlocked or valuables in plain sight is an invitation for thieves to steal your values. Our police service wants people to take the time to keep their property safe,” said Staff Sergeant Kevin Webb Detachment Commander with the Manitoulin OPP. “Thieves are also looking for anything in a vehicle that allows them to engage in identity theft. Don’t give them the opportunity. Keep anything with your personal information with you.”
During the Lock it or Lose it campaign, police officers examine parked vehicles to confirm they are locked and that no valuables have been left in plain view. Officers place a small notice on vehicles checked indicating what safety precautions were neglected and offer simple prevention tips for drivers to protect their vehicles against theft. The notices also congratulate drivers who have secured their vehicle.
The OPP urge motorists not to keep personal documents such as vehicle ownership, liability pink slips, credit card invoices, or other documents containing personal information in their vehicles. Identity thieves are looking for such documents so they can assume identities, secure credit card accounts, lease vehicles for export, and even take out a mortgage against victims’ properties without their knowledge. Victims may not realize they have been victimized until it is too late, costing them time and money to rectify the damage.
