Speed enforcement rebounds in county

WELLINGTON COUNTY – Speeding charges laid by the Wellington County OPP in 2026 have more than doubled the total from the same period last year.

Police laid 1,814 speeding charges between Jan. 1 and May 31, an increase of 121per cent over the 820 charges laid over that period in 2025.

However, the numbers fall 23% below the 2,345 speeding charges laid in the first five months of 2024 – the high-water mark over the last three years, according to a Wellington County OPP detachment report.

Asked about the data, Wellington OPP spokesperson Carly McKeown stated in an email that enforcement statistics fluctuate year to year based on “operational priorities, proactive enforcement initiatives, and resource availability.”

McKeown would not say whether there was a concerted effort to ramp up enforcement this year.

“The Wellington County OPP remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing the ‘Big Four’ contributors to serious collisions: speeding, seatbelt non-compliance, impaired driving and distracted driving,” McKeown wrote.

According to OPP data, charges for the “big four,” excluding speeding are all up in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2024-25.

Impaired driving charges (114) are up almost 5% compared with 109 charges in 2025, and 14% compared to the 100 charges in 2024.

Seatbelt infractions (367) are up 24% compared with 296 charges in 2025, and nearly 60% compared to the 234 charges in 2024.

Distracted driving charges (98) are up 1% compared to 97 charges in 2025, and almost 109% compared to the 47 charges in 2024.

Overall charges under the Highway Traffic Act – the main piece of legislation governing driving in the province – are rebounding to 2024 levels for the January-to-June period.

In the first five months of the year, police have laid 4,205 HTA charges, trailing 6% behind 4,504 charges in 2024, but up 31% over the 3,205 charges laid in 2025.

The number of warnings – when a documented record of an offence including the listed fine is given instead of a ticket – issued is also up so far this year over the same period in 2025.

Officers issued 2,877 warnings in the first five months of 2026, up 31% over the 2,194 warnings given in 2025.

From June 15 to 21 Wellington County OPP is participating in a region-wide intersection safety campaign titled “Stop. Look. Live.”

The campaign will provide enforcement and education with an emphasis on safe driving practices at intersections.

Drivers can expect police to target failing to stop at stop signs, failing to yield the right of way and inattentive driving, according to the OPP.

The campaign, planned in advance, follows recent crashes in Mapleton and Wellington North, including one that claimed five lives, and others that sent two individuals to hospital with serious injuries.