OPP lays more than 8,000 traffic charges over the long weekend

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says officers laid 8,377 traffic charges over the long weekend and more than half were related to speeding.

They say aggressive drivers “dominated” the traffic offence categories, with officers laying 4,837 speeding charges and 148 stunt driving or racing charges.

Two men, aged 29 and 37, were killed in crashes where driver inattention and excessive speed were reported as the primary causes.

Two other men, aged 27 and 41, were killed in separate off-road collisions where loss of control and excessive speed were determined to be primary causes. They say alcohol was also a factor in one of the collisions.

OPP says loss of control and excessive speed were factors in nine of this year’s 12 off-road vehicle deaths. “More than half of the deceased were not wearing a helmet and alcohol/drug use was a factor in at least three of the incidents,” said police.

Officers also laid 355 charges against drivers who were in a position but failed to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles and tow trucks parked on the roadside.

4 dead and 5000 speeding charges laid last weekend alone😢 https://t.co/zbwb46Pp9i

— Sgt Kerry Schmidt (@OPP_HSD) August 9, 2019