Another 11 drivers charged in Week Five of DRPS’ Festive RIDE bringing total to 58 at stops from Clarington to Pickering

After stopping over 1,500 cars last week, Durham Region Police’s Festive RIDE campaign charged 11 drivers with impaired driving. DRPS has charged 58 drivers over the last month of the program.

This continues the trend of more charges between fewer stops than last year for the fifth straight week showing a higher percentage of drivers are getting behind the wheel impaired in the Region.

Police stopped 1,587 vehicle at stops in Ajax, Clarington, Pickering, Oshawa and Whitby. In 2020, 1,550 drivers were pulled over in week three, offered by police as comparison.

Officers demanded 46 breathalyzer tests between all those stops, with 11 people failing and receiving charges. An impaired driving charge automatically results in a 90 day suspension and a weeklong vehicle impound.

Seven others blew a warning with a Blood-alcohol content between .05 and .08. They automatically catch a three day licence suspension. Last week’s warnings bring the total to 12 over the last five weeks. Police issued four warnings by this time last year.

Police have yet to update their list of charged drivers, but say they will do so later in the week. Earlier weeks have mostly seen Durham residents charged, but people from the wider GTA, Alberta and Liverpool, England have also been stopped.