The Ontario Provincial Police thanks all the drivers and passengers who did their part to keep the roads safe over the Labour Day weekend, but it's disappointed it pulled over so many for speeding.
Officers charged 147 for going over the speed limit on the roads they patrol. Police laid ten stunt driving charges and one for impaired driving.
"The instances of stunt driving in Essex County is disappointing, and the consequences are severe. The posted speed signs are not a suggestion, but the law," said Inspector Glen Miller, the Detachment Commander.
In the West Region, of which Essex County is part, officers laid 1,411 charges in all. Speeding accounts for 953 of them, while 28 were for stunt driving. Officers caught another 25 driving impaired, while 27 weren't wearing their seatbelts, and 16 were distracted behind the wheel.
Across Ontario, there were four traffic fatalities on OPP-patrolled roads over the long weekend, bringing the total so far this year to 180. Two of the deaths were in road collisions, and two were riding off-road vehicles.
Province-wide, speeding accounted for 4,877 of the 7,331 charges laid, while 151 drivers across Ontario now face stunt driving charges.