Deadly long weekend mostly preventable: police

From vehicle occupants and motorcyclists, to boaters and swimmers, the OPP worked around the clock over the Civic long weekend Aug. 1 to 3 investigating numerous tragic deaths related to transportation and recreation activities on roads and waterways.

By midnight on Aug. 3, a total of nine people had lost their lives on OPP-patrolled roads. An additional six people drowned and one person died in a boating incident on waterways within OPP jurisdiction

Of the nine people who died in road crashes, three of them were travelling in one vehicle and four by motorcycle. One was a cyclist and the other a pedestrian. In the fatal car crash, all three vehicle occupants - all in their 20s - were killed.

In one of the motorcycle crashes, both the 59-year-old driver and his 61-year-old passenger died.  While OPP investigations are ongoing, initial reports reveal that at least two of the deceased motorcyclists were driving properly at the time of the incident.

Investigations into the weekend’s drowning incidents revealed all six of the victims were males and three of them were youths.

The marine fatality occurred after a canoe carrying two males capsized. Neither of the men was wearing a personal floatation device at the time.

Over and above tending to the weekend’s numerous tragic incidents, OPP officers also kept busy on roads conducting education and enforcement of Ontario’s Move Over law.

OPP officers also took part in Operation Dry Water to raise awareness of the dangers of operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs.