The Ottawa Police Service has laid 38 impaired driving-related charges over the past two weeks, reflecting the rise in impaired driving in the nation’s capital.
Another impaired driving incident took place last week, when a person collided with a police cruiser, wrote OPS in a post on X.
At the time of the collision, the officer was on patrol on Murray Street and fortunately, there were no injuries reported, added the Ottawa Police Service in a social media post.
The motorist is now facing impaired driving-related charges.
In an email, the Ottawa Police Service tells CityNews that 635 impaired-driving related charges have been issued to date in 2024.
This is compared to 625 charges over the same period in 2023.
Last year, there were 13 deaths due to collisions where alcohol and/or drugs were believed to be a factor.
Throughout 2023, 885 persons were charged with impaired driving-related offences, an increase from 724 incidents in 2022, reported OPS.
“Impaired driving, by alcohol or drugs, endangers the lives of all road users,” said Ottawa police.
“Make planning your ride home part of your plans. If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 9-1-1,” they added.