Week Three of OPP Festive Ride: Number of Impaired Drivers Continues to Climb

Smiths Falls – Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers across the East Region arrested another 20 impaired drivers during the third week of the Festive RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign.

This brings the total to 65 motorists charged with impaired driving since the initiative began on November 21, 2024.

“Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs can have deadly results. Don’t be the reason your family, or someone else’s family, spends the holidays in grief and sadness. Don’t drive after drinking or using drugs.” -Chief Superintendent Lisa Wilhelm, OPP East Region Commander.

Officers have conducted over 600 Festive RIDE programs, stopping vehicles to ensure the drivers were not impaired by alcohol or drugs.

In addition to the impaired driving arrests, officers also issued 20 warning-range suspensions, resulting in those drivers being issued licence suspensions and having their vehicles impounded.

RIDE programs can happen anywhere, anytime – day or night.

If you suspect someone is driving impaired, call 9-1-1. You could be saving lives.