Ontario Provincial Police say the deaths of 156 people in 2018 on the roads they patrol have been linked to the "Big Four".
They are referring to aggressive driving, impairment by alcohol or drugs, inattentive driving and lack of seat belt use.
Here are the OPP statistics as of October 1:
- 50 deaths linked to speeding
- 37 deaths were attributed to an inattentive driver
- 35 deaths involved a driver who had consumed alcohol and/or drugs
- failure to wear a seat belt was a factor in 34 deaths
OPP and other police forces across Canada launched Operation Impact on Friday.
You will see a heavy police presence on the highways the entire Thanksgiving weekend.
"Drivers are still making those simple bad decisions. They're getting into a vehicle while they're impaired ... Distraction inside the vehicle, outside the vehicle continues to be a problem, as is aggressive driving, speeding," said OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt.
He said all kinds of issues can lead to distracted driving, it could be looking down at something in your vehicle or even the fall colours this weekend.
"So far this year, the OPP has laid more than 175,155 charges against aggressive, inattentive, alcohol and drug-impaired drivers, and unbuckled vehicle occupants. The three behaviours associated with driving are linked to 15,269 collisions to date, 95 of which were fatal," said Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair, Provincial Commander of Traffic Safety and Operational Support in a news release.
"The goal of Operation Impact is not about issuing traffic tickets. It is about seeing every driver, without police intervention, refrain from risky driving behaviours and every vehicle occupant buckled up."
DID YOU KNOW?
Operation Impact is an annual initiative sponsored by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.
Operation Impact is part of Canada's broader Road Safety Strategy 2025, which aims to make Canada's roads the safest in the world.
Drug-impaired and alcohol-impaired driving have always been illegal and this will not change once cannabis becomes legal on Oct. 17, 2018.
