Ontario Provincial Police in Essex County are gearing up for another holiday season, keeping the roads safe.
The OPP kicks off its annual Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign on Wednesday.
While RIDE programs take place across Windsor-Essex year-round, the Festive RIDE program is geared toward ensuring everyone heads home safely during the holidays. The holiday version of RIDE will run through January 2, 2023.
OPP Constable Steven Duguay said officers will ensure drivers aren't behind the wheel when they have been drinking or using drugs.
"Motorists are reminded that officers regularly conduct Mandatory Alcohol Screening [MAS] with drivers who are lawfully pulled over, and they will be ramping up this investigative measure, including RIDE stops, throughout the campaign," said Duguay. "So, what does this mean? Heading into its fifth year, under the MAS law, an officer with an approved alcohol screening device can demand a breath sample from any driver without having a reasonable suspicion that they have alcohol in their body."
Ontario law also allows OPP officers to demand that drivers undergo field sobriety testing and an evaluation by a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE).
During last holiday season's Festive RIDE campaign, OPP officers charged 17 drivers for impaired driving in Windsor-Essex. A total of 655 drivers were arrested across Ontario during last year's Festive RIDE.