OPP Report:
Pickle Lake OPP remind snowmobile operators not to drink and ride
Ontario Provincial Police
Snowmobile Safety Week is January 18th to 26th, 2021. Members of the Pickle Lake Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to take this time to remind Motorized Snow Vehicle (snowmobile) operators that snowmobiles are a conveyance, as defined by the Criminal Code. Operators are bound by offences defined in the Criminal Code, including Dangerous Operation and Operation while Impaired, no matter where they chose to ride.
Snowmobile operators are advised to never drive impaired. Alcohol, illegal drugs, even prescription and some over-the-counter medications can slow your reaction time and affect your ability to make safe decisions.
Pickle Lake OPP officers will be focusing their patrol efforts on locating impaired drivers. Snowmobile operators found to be impaired by alcohol or drugs, or having a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit, will face Criminal Code charges, no matter if they were driving on a designated trail, a lake, or private property.
As well as presenting a safety risk to themselves and other community members, operators who ride impaired by alcohol or drugs are subject to drivers licence suspensions, fines, vehicle impoundments, criminal records and increased insurance costs. If convicted of impaired driving on a snowmobile, operators will lose driving privileges for all types of vehicles, including motor vehicles, commercial vehicles and motorcycles.
For more information on the consequences of drinking and driving, as well as snowmobile safety, please visit http://www.opp.ca, or the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s website at http://www.mto.gov.on.ca.
Members of the OPP are committed to protecting public safety in all locations within the communities they serve. Please call 9-1-1 whenever you suspect that a driver is impaired while operating a motor vehicle, whether it is a car, truck, motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile, or boat. Complaints of dangerous driving can also be made by calling 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.