Numerous speeders were nabbed by Ontario Provincial Police over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The OPP in Essex County released Tuesday the results of Operation Impact, its latest traffic enforcement initiative. OPP officers were out on area highways and secondary roads between October 8 and October 12, targeting the so-called "big four" traffic offences, which include driving while impaired by alcohol or drug, speeding, distracted driving, and lack of occupant restraints.
"When travelling on our area roadways please know that the recent efforts by Essex County OPP show that aggressive driving continues to be a concern," said Essex County Detachment Commander Glenn Miller. "Everyone driving is aware of the speed restrictions and please know that you can expect strict enforcement from the OPP for non-compliance."
A total of 260 charges were laid during the four days. The vast majority of them, 224 to be exact, were for speeding.
The rest of the citations were for offences that included other moving violations, stunt driving, and distracted driving. Five of those charges involved drivers operating over the legal blood-alcohol limit.
Miller said enforcement blitzes like those on long weekends are vital to keeping up safety on roadways while keeping collisions and deaths down.
"Essex County OPP is committed to influencing driver behaviour to reduce the frequency of collisions leading to personal injuries and death on our roadways, waterways and trails," said Miller. "Travel safely and travel smart."