October 10th to 13th, 2014 will mark Operation Impact, a national campaign to make Canada’s roads the safest in the world.
This special weekend is a police initiative designed to remind people that an essential part of the enforcement job is to save lives and reduce injuries on our roadways. Educating the public in safe driving practices is a priority. The focus will be on behaviours that put drivers, passengers and other road users most at risk: impaired driving, seat belt use, and all aspects related to aggressive and distracted driving. All enforcement agencies across the country have been invited to participate.
Locally, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service will be teaming up with the Ontario Provincial Police.
“The deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle collisions are in some instances a result of the actions of the driver and could have been prevented”, says Chief Robert Keetch. “Police agencies across the country are collaborating on this annual initiative because we know that the cooperation of the driving public is essential to ensuring safer streets and highways.”
This initiative has been strategically chosen, as it is a significant long weekend. More people are traveling and traffic crashes are more frequent.
Here in Sault Ste. Marie there have been ten deaths over the last five years related to motor vehicle collisions. To some these may be just a number but they represent moms, dads, sisters, brothers, loved ones, co-workers and neighbours. It is unacceptable to the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.
Operation Impact is sponsored by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and member agencies of the CACP Traffic Committee from across Canada in support of Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2015, which has a goal of making Canada’s roads the safest in the world by 2015.
