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Ontario Provincial Police officers across the East Region have charged a total of 45 motorists with impaired driving since the Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) initiative began two weeks ago, the force said Friday.
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The previous week’s total was 23.
“We know people are getting into the holiday spirit, but impaired driving can instantly change a celebration to a tragedy. It’s a simple message: If you drink or consume drugs, don’t get behind the wheel,” Chief Supt. Lisa Wilhelm, OPP East Region Commander, said in a news release.
Officers in the region have conducted more than 380 Festive RIDE programs since Nov. 21, stopping nearly 1,000 vehicles to assess whether the drivers were impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Besides the 45 impaired driving arrests, officers issued 14 warnings, the release added, meaning those drivers were issued licence suspensions and had their vehicles impounded.
RIDE programs can happen anywhere anytime — day or night — the OPP said.
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