Huron OPP report racing charge; and results of distracted driving campaign

RACING CHARGE LAID

(BLUEWATER, ON) - A Goderich man was charged with Racing, following a traffic stop that took place Thursday afternoon, Sept. 7, in the Municipality of Bluewater. 

At 5:43 p.m., a Huron County OPP officer observed a Hyundai Sonata travelling southbound on Airport Line near Rodgerville Road at a high rate of speed.
 
The officer confirmed his visual observations with a RADAR device and was able to obtain a speed measurement of the racing vehicle at a speed in excess of 50 km/h over the posted 80 km/h zone. A traffic stop was initiated and the driver was subsequently charged.
 
Elliott RATE, 26, of Goderich has been charged with "Race a Motor Vehicle - Excessive Speed." He now has a court appearance scheduled for Nov. 21, at the Provincial Offences Act Court in Goderich. His licence was suspended for seven days and his motor vehicle was impounded for the week.

*THIS CHARGE HAS YET TO BE PROVEN IN COURT*
 

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TWO ROAD DEATHS, NUMEROUS DISTRACTED DRIVERS REPORTED OVER LABOUR DAY WEEKEND

(HURON COUNTY, ON) - Province-wide, the OPP responded to two road fatalities over the Labour Day long weekend during the provincial Distracted Driving campaign.

The first collision occurred near French River, Sept. 1, claiming the life of a 25-year-old woman. The second incident involved a motorcycle colliding with a motor vehicle, Sept. 4. The 59-year-old male motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries the following morning.
 
Many drivers ignored the OPP's pre-weekend warnings about the serious threat they pose on our roads when using their cell phones, other hand-held devices and engaging in other forms of distraction while driving.

Officers laid 444 distracted driving charges throughout the weekend, bringing the 2017 year-to-date number of charges close to the 9,000 mark.

In Huron County, no drivers were charged with Distracted Driving offences during the campaign. Officers laid a total of 73 charges during the campaign with the bulk of them for speeding (44). There were two marine charges and one alcohol warn range suspension handed out as well. 

During the campaign period, there were four motor vehicle crashes investigated by Huron OPP officers. Two collisions involved animals on the roadway, one was caused when a driver fell asleep, and the fourth was a minor parking lot collision.

The OPP also reported that July and August saw particularly high numbers of road deaths. 

A total of 92 people died on OPP-patrolled roads between July 1 and Aug. 31 - the highest number of deaths over this two-month summer period since 2010.  

So far this year, 208 people have died in road crashes, along with 24 boating and 13 off-road vehicle fatalities.