ROCKWOOD – The season of holiday parties and clinking glasses is fast approaching — and so are Festive RIDE stops.
Wellington County OPP and Guelph Police Service joined forces Nov. 20 to check for impaired drivers outside the Rockwood OPP detachment, kicking off the seasonal “Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere” campaign.
Each year around this time police drive home messaging about the dangers of getting behind the wheel while impaired.
With more people attending celebrations and consuming alcohol and/or drugs, RIDE stops are ramped up to catch impaired drivers.
A sobriety test at a RIDE stop helps officers find out if a driver is impaired by drugs or alcohol.
“The sole purpose of a RIDE program is to determine the sobriety of the driver,” said Wellington County OPP Staff Sergeant Nigel Heels.
“During that time we are using our senses to pick up on those telltale signs.”
Heels said impaired driving is “one of the main casualty factors” in serious crashes and remains a problem on local roads.
Police have already removed 150 impaired drivers from roadways this year — before the holiday campaign began.
Last December, 22 impaired driving charges were laid in the county, according to police.
County-city police partner to stop impaired drivers
A Festive RIDE campaign partnership between the county and Guelph has been running for over 20 years.
“We’ve had a great partnership with the Guelph Police Service for a long time,” Wellington OPP spokesperson Carly McKeown told the Advertiser.
Guelph Police Service Inspector Scott Grover was also on scene and thrilled to see officers come together for road safety.
“I want to get to the point where people don’t have to be concerned about a RIDE program,” Grover said.
RIDE stops are chosen based on input from officers, and can be based on traffic volume, community safety zones and where a stop will have the biggest impact.
“All we ask of people is to make the smart decision if you’re going to go and celebrate,” Grover said.
“As somebody who lives in [Wellington County] myself, I like when I see OPP on the side streets because that’s when [drivers] aren’t expecting it and it’s those moments that have the lasting impact,” he added.
Why some choose to drive impaired despite the efforts of law enforcement to educate drivers is “the million-dollar question,” Grover said.
Drivers can keep themselves and their communities safe by:
- planning ahead and arranging a designated driver, or the using transit, taxis or rideshares;
- offering a sober ride to a friend or loved one who has been drinking or using drugs;
- calling 911 immediately if you suspect an impaired driver; and
- enjoying alcohol and substances responsibly.
