Impaired driving arrests up 30 per cent in Durham Region in week two of Festive RIDE program
Published December 2, 2024 at 11:39 am
The second week of Durham Region Police’s 2024 Festive RIDE program saw 17 drivers arrested for impaired driving offences, a 30 per cent increase from last year.
“This is far too many,” said DRPS in a post on X. “If you suspect an impaired driver, please note the make, model and licence plate of the vehicle, as well as the direction of travel and call 911. You could save a life.”
Durham Police stopped 2,162 vehicles, including a man passed out behind the wheel of his car in the parking lot where the RIDE team was having a briefing before setting up the RIDE line. He was arrested for impaired.
Another RIDE member located a stolen vehicle, which police were able to follow into a parking lot and arrest a man after a brief foot pursuit.
This week, the RIDE team also worked in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation in conducting Mandatory Alcohol Screening for Commercial Motor Vehicles entering the Whitby Truck Inspection Station.
The RIDE team conducted checks throughout Durham Region last week and while the number of cars stopped was only a bit higher than 2023 the number of people given roadside breathalyzer tests was up substantially: 232 in week two of 2024 versus 59 in the same period last year. In addition to the 17 drivers charged with impaired offences, 18 people were given three-day suspensions for registering an alert.
Five drivers were slapped with other criminal code charges while 238 Highway Traffic Act offenses were issued.
Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, anyone charged with a drinking and driving criminal offence will have their driver’s license suspended for 90 days and their vehicle impounded automatically for seven days.
