Over 1,000 people charged with not wearing a seat belt

WELLINGTON COUNTY - More than 1,000 charges were laid against unbuckled drivers and passengers during the OPP’s recent provincial seat belt campaign.

While police are pleased there were no fatalities during the campaign, which ran over the Easter long weekend, officers laid more than 10,200 traffic-related charges across the province.

The number one offence committed by drivers was speeding, with more than 6,400 speeding charges laid.

(Last year’s campaign saw officers lay over 1,500 seat belt charges, more than 6,500 speeding charges and close to 11,000 traffic-related charges overall.)

Wellington County OPP laid 161 speeding charges during this year’s campaign, as well as three impaired driving charges, 12 seat belt charges, three distracted driving charges, 12 stunt driving charges and 12 charges for failing to move over for an emergency vehicle.

An OPP press release states, “The weekend charges serve as an important reminder to drivers and other road users that when the OPP targets one particular behaviour during a traffic safety campaign, officers are highly committed to and well-resourced for enforcing all traffic laws.”