OPP lay more than 6,000 traffic charges over Civic long weekend

Tragedy struck a number of families who lost loved ones in road, boating and drowning incidents over the Civic Holiday Long Weekend.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to three separate drownings. Two other people died in boating/paddling incidents and motor vehicle collisions also resulted in the loss of two other lives.

OPP officers laid numerous charges while targeting drivers who were not in compliance with Ontario’s Move Over law and who engaged in other risky driving behaviours during one of the year’s busiest weekends on Ontario’s roads.

The OPP laid more than 6,600 traffic-related charges throughout the province between Friday and Monday (July 31- August 3, 2020). Among the charges were close to 4,200 speeding charges and more than 120 separate charges laid for stunt driving and racing. Officers laid close to 200 charges against drivers who failed to move over a lane for roadside emergency vehicles when it was safe to do so.

The OPP thanks everyone who observed traffic laws to help keep roads, waterways and trails safe over the Civic Holiday Long Weekend by avoiding poor behaviours that place themselves and others at risk on and off the road.