On Saturday, May 19, the Niagara Regional Police conducted R.I.D.E. checkpoints as part of the Canada Road Safety Week, which runs from Tuesday, May 15 to the end of the Victoria Day long weekend on Monday May 21. These checkpoints were conducted within the cities of Niagara Falls and St. Catharines.
Throughout the night, officers stopped approximately 600 vehicles and questioned each driver regarding any alcohol consumption. Two of these drivers were requested to pull over and provide a sample of their breath for an analysis. The outcome of the tests resulted in both drivers being arrested and charged with exceeding 80 mgs of alcohol.
While conducting the R.I.D.E. in Niagara Falls, one driver suddenly stopped and reversed their vehicle in an attempt to avoid the checkpoint. This driver reversed into a vehicle that had stopped behind them, which resulted in no injuries and very minor damage. When the driver was questioned, it was determined that they were sober, however did not have an accompanying experienced driver in the passenger seat which is a requirement when possessing a G1 driver’s licence. The driver was subsequently issued a ticket for his offence.
Elsewhere in the Niagara Region, 2 other drivers were arrested and charged with impaired driving. One driver was arrested after they were involved in a collision in Niagara Falls and the other was arrested while attempting to cross the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie.
The Niagara Regional Police Service remain committed to reducing Impaired Driving Offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like R.I.D.E. Impaired driving is still the leading criminal offence causing deaths in Canada.
This initiative has been made possible, in part, as a result of grant funding from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services as part of the Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E) program.
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