Provincial, local Festive RIDE campaign numbers released 

Tim Brody - Editor

Ontario Provincial Police are out with the numbers from this season’s Festive RIDE campaign and across the province, 743 drivers were charged with impaired driving between November 21, 2024 and January 1, 2025.   
“These drivers rang in the new year with the threat of losing their driver’s licence for a full year, and paying the tough financial penalties associated with this serious Criminal Code offence.
“The OPP also issued 155 immediate roadside Warn Range Suspensions to drivers who registered a Blood Alcohol Concentration between 0.05 and 0.08.
“During the campaign, OPP officers conducted 9,268 RIDE initiatives throughout the province, working around the clock to keep road users safe,” Ontario Provincial Police shared in a Jan. 3 media release.    
In the Northwest Region Ontario Provincial Police shared that 1873 RIDE events took place during this year’s campaign with 120 impaired chargers laid. 
In the Sioux Lookout area 410 RIDE events were held with 22 impaired charges laid.
“The OPP would like to thank all citizens who stepped up to help keep roads safe by being a designated driver and having other plans in place to help keep impaired drivers off our roads,” police shared.
The Festive Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) campaign is an annual initiative led by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police. The campaign forms part of the OPP’s commitment to save lives on Ontario roads, waterways and trails through targeted enforcement and public education.