(BlackburnNews.com file photo)(BlackburnNews.com file photo)
Windsor

As holiday travel begins, the OPP has a dire warning

The Ontario Provincial Police has released its latest traffic data, and if you plan to travel this weekend, let the numbers motivate you to be careful.

The OPP responded to 209 fatal crashes so far this year, claiming the lives of 224 people.

Of those fatalities, 155 were drivers and 33 were passengers. Another 36 were pedestrians.

In the West Region, there were 85 deaths.

"An entirely full school bus, plus 13 people standing outside," commented OPP Regional Media Relations Coordinator Derek Rogers. "That's a lot of tragedy. It's a lot of lives altered."

The service said it had noted a 30 per cent increase in excessive speeding this year over 2019. Almost 6,800 charges have been laid for racing and stunt driving, including 1,300 in the West Region.

"It's the effects of speeding on the human body," continued Rogers. "The profound physical impact that can result in a crash at a high rate of speed."

Not wearing a seatbelt was a contributing factor in 40 of this year's deaths, while 37 people died as a result of distracted driving. Another 35 people were in crashes caused by impaired driving.

"With three months to go in what continues to be an exceptionally difficult year for people, every driver and every passenger is in a position to stop the senseless loss of life on our roads," said OPP Chief Superintendent Rohan Thompson. "All it takes is a firm commitment to refrain from engaging in dangerous behaviours."

The OPP's Operation Impact campaign is underway, and drivers may notice an increased police presence on the province's highways and rural roads.

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