The local 2020 Ontario Provincial Police Festive RIDE program was again fairly tame.
Chatham-Kent OPP said two drivers were charged with impaired driving and two other drivers were served with a three-day suspension after blowing a warning. No drivers were charged with impaired driving in the 2019 campaign but five drivers were given three-day suspensions.
The OPP in Chatham-Kent checked 82 vehicles between November 26, 2020, and January 3, 2021 but remind drivers that officers continue to conduct mandatory alcohol screening on roads, trails and waterways throughout the year. Citizens are also being encouraged to continue reporting suspected impaired drivers to police.
"Road safety will continue to be a priority. It is a responsibility that we all share and we ask everyone to drive sober regardless of the season," said Staff Sergeant Loucas, Chatham-Kent OPP Detachment Commander.
The OPP also thanks all citizens who stepped up as designated drivers and took other measures to ensure family and friends did not get behind the wheel while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
The OPP said they charged almost 600 drivers for impaired driving across Ontario this festive season. More than 190 drivers were issued an immediate warning suspension along the roadside for registering a blood alcohol level between 0.05 and 0.08. During the campaign, OPP officers conducted close to 6,700 stops throughout the province.
The OPP thanks citizens for making close to 2,500 calls to police across the province to report suspected impaired drivers during the six-week initiative.