The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) has completed its third week of the Festive R.I.D.E program, stopping more than 3,500 vehicles and charging 22 drivers with drinking and driving offences.
A news release said officers conducted R.I.D.E. checks in Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, Scugog and Brock Township with the following totals (the numbers in brackets reflect 2018 second week totals for comparison):
3,576 (5,277) Vehicles stopped by R.I.D.E.
156 (109) People given Roadside Breath Tests
15 (22) People received “3/7/30 Day Suspensions” for registering a “WARN”
203 (N/A) Mandatory Roadside Breath Tests
0 (N/A) People received “3/7/30 Day Suspensions” as a result of Mandatory Tests
0 (N/A) People given “Approved Drug Screening Device” Tests
0 (0) Novice Driver received a “Three-Day Licence Suspension”
22 (22) People charged with Drinking and Driving Offences
29 (23) Criminal Code Offences Other
87 (94) Charged with various Highway Traffic Act Offences
0 (1) Drug Offences
1 (7) Cannabis Act offences
After the third week, the Festive R.I.D.E. team has charged a total of 46 motorists for drinking and driving offences. Last year at the same time, 43 had been charged.
Another 46 motorists have registered a WARN on a roadside screening device and had their driver’s licence suspended for three-days. Last year at the same time, 48 drivers had their licence suspended for registering a WARN.
The R.I.D.E. team is conducting mandatory roadside breath tests again this week on the R.I.D.E. line. Every driver entering the R.I.D.E. line will be given a breath test for a prescribed period of time. Results posted above.
On Friday, a R.I.D.E. Team member conducted a traffic stop as a driver was observed speeding 123 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, nearly hitting a police cruiser head on. The driver was charged with stunt driving, careless driving, driving without insurance and 3 other offences under the Highway Traffic Act. The driver’s motor vehicle was impounded for 7 days.
A complete list of those charged with Impaired/Exceed will be posted on DRPS website later this week at www.drps.ca under Hot Topics.
Note: Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, anyone charged with a drinking and driving criminal offence will have his or her driver’s licence suspended for 90 days and their vehicle impounded automatically for 7 days.