More than double the number of suspect vehicles were stopped by Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) during the first week of the Festive R.I.D.E program, than in the same period in 2018.
In just two days of checks, more than 1,800 vehicles were stopped compared to 873 in the first week of the 2018 RIDE program.
Eight drivers were charged with drinking and driving offences, said a DRPS media release.
DRPS officers conducted R.I.D.E. checks in Ajax, Pickering, Whitby and Oshawa, with the following totals (the numbers in brackets reflect 2018 first week totals for comparison):
- 1,882 (873) Vehicles stopped by R.I.D.E.
- 60 (41) People given Roadside Breath Tests
- 10 (5) People received “3/7/30 Day Suspensions” for registering a “WARN”
- 0 (1) Novice Driver received a 3-Day Licence Suspension
- 8 (6) People were charged with Impaired/Exceed/Refuse
- 1 (7) Person was charged with other Criminal Code offences
- 43 (25) Charged with various Highway Traffic Act offences
After the first week, the Festive RIDE team has charged a total of eight motorists for drinking and driving offences. Last year at the same time, six had been charged. Another 10 motorists have registered a WARN on a roadside screening device and had their driver’s licences suspended for either 3/7/30 days. Last year at the same time, five driver’s had their licences suspended for registering a WARN.
“Police would like to remind motorists about the cannabis laws while transporting it in your motor vehicle. A driver cannot have cannabis in a motor vehicle when the seal of its original packaging is open and is within reach of the driver, similar to alcohol rules,” said the DRPS release.
A complete list of those charged with Impaired/Exceed will be posted on our website later this week at www.drps.ca under Hot Topics.
Note: Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, anyone charged with an impaired driving criminal offence will have his or her driver’s licence suspended for 90 days and their vehicle impounded automatically for 7 days.