OPP laid over 3,000 charges during Operation Safe Driver week

The week of July 11 to 17, 2021 saw Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) running their Operation Safe Driver campaign. The annual week-long enforcement and education campaign focused on commercial and non-commercial vehicle drivers who failed to share the road safely and engaged in risky driving behaviours.

During the campaign, the OPP laid 3,300 charges as officers joined North American road safety partners for Operation Safe Driver. A total of 2,927 charges were laid against non-commercial drivers, with the balance of the traffic-related offences (403) committed by commercial drivers, according to a release from the OPP, dated Wednesday, Jul. 21, 2021. 

Among non-commercial drivers, OPP said speeding far outnumbered all other offence categories with 2,032 speeding charges laid. Seat belt non-compliance accounted for 151 of the charges, with 71 fail to obey traffic control, 64 distracted driving and 33 alcohol/drug-impaired charges being issued.     

Among commercial drivers, speeding also accounted for the highest number (101) of charges, according to the OPP. Ninety-five (95) offences were related to document non-compliance, with 50 seat belt, 39 speed limiter, 38 defective equipment and 13 distracted driving offences receiving OPP attention. A total of 28 commercial vehicles were taken out of service for various violations, police said.  

Operation Safe Driver (July 11-17, 2021) was led by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) with enforcement and education initiatives conducted throughout North America.

The OPP reminds all motorists that the vast majority of collisions, fatalities and injuries on our roads are preventable through safe, defensive driving practices.  

For more information, visit the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) website.