Expect to see an increased presence on streets and highways across Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent this long weekend.
Police say they will be out in full force as part of Operation Impact.
It's a Canada-wide initiative to make Canada's roads the safest in the world.
Officers will be looking for impaired driving, seat belt use, along with aggressive and distracted driving.
Police say those factors have contributed to the deaths of 156 people on OPP-patrolled roads so far this year.
“So far this year, the OPP has laid more than 175,155 charges against aggressive, inattentive, alcohol and drug-impaired drivers, and unbuckled vehicle occupants, says Deputy OPP Commissioner Brad Blair. “The three behaviours associated with driving are linked to 15,269 collisions to date, 95 of which were fatal.”
So far this year, 50 deaths were linked to speeding while 37 deaths were attributed to an inattentive driver and 35 deaths involved a driver who had consumed alcohol and/or drugs.
Failure to wear a seat belt was a factor in 34 people losing their lives in collisions on OPP-patrolled roads.
“The goal of Operation Impact is not about issuing traffic tickets. It is about seeing every driver, without police intervention, refrain from risky driving behaviours and every vehicle occupant buckled up,” adds Blair.
