Speeding drivers are number one cause in road fatatlities, say OPP

(SOUTHERN BRUCE COUNTY, ON) - The OPP is pointing to speeding drivers as the number one cause in road fatalities so far this year, with the death toll in this category 76 per cent higher than this time last year.
 
As of June 26, 2017, speeding has been linked with 30 road deaths on OPP-patrolled roads, compared to 17 in 2016. 
 
Excessive speed continues to threaten the safety of other road users with more than 1,400 charges laid so far this year, by the OPP against drivers clocked at 50 km/h or more over the posted speed limit.  

"For some drivers, instances of speeding and other forms of aggressive driving are frequent, and for others, they are part of their everyday driving behaviour," says OPP deputy commissioner Brad Blair, provincial commander of Traffic Safety and Operational Support. "Last year, our officers laid more than 240,000 speeding charges against drivers who took the lives of other road users into their own hands."

"Aggressive driving-related deaths have dramatically increased in Ontario in the past year," says Marie-France Lalonde, Ontario minister of community safety and correctional services. "We all have a responsibility to ensure our roads are safe. This long weekend, remember to slow down, drive safely and respect your fellow motorists."
 
"Even one life lost to reckless or dangerous driving is one life too many," says Steven Del Duca, Ontario transportation minister. "Excessive speeding is completely unacceptable and I urge everyone travelling on the roads this Canada Day Long Weekend, to slow down and stay safe. We take seriously our work with enforcement and other road safety partners, to save more lives. And we remind everyone of the real-life consequences of street-racing (those drivers who put others on the road at risk by driving aggressively). You could face a jail term of up to six months, fines of up to $10,000 and prolonged licence suspension, upon conviction."
 
During the Canada Day long weekend, OPP officers throughout the province will set their sights on speeding drivers and all other forms of aggressive driving. These behaviours include: following too closely, unsafe passing and lane changes, failing to yield right-of-way, road rage, and other dangerous, high-risk driving behaviours.