(ALMAGUIN HIGHLANDS, ON) – The Almaguin Highlands Ontario Provincial Police Detachment (OPP) reminds motorists that students will be back in school on Tuesday, September 6, 2016. This means that school buses will also be back on the roads in our area and drivers must be attentive to the frequent stops that school buses make loading and unloading students.
Motorists must keep a safe distance away from a stopped school bus with the red overhead lights flashing and stop arm extended. When following a school bus, Ontario law requires vehicles to stop 20 meters behind the bus and when meeting a school bus in oncoming traffic, vehicles must stop a safe distance to allow students to cross well ahead of the bus bumper. It is important to remain stopped until the school bus stop arm retracts and the overhead red lights have stopped flashing.
Drivers who fail to comply with this Highway Traffic Act offence face fines between $400.00 and $2,000.00 and 6 demerit points. A subsequent offence can cost a driver anywhere from $1,000.00 to $4,000.00 in fines plus possible imprisonment. This law also includes charging vehicle owners if their vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus even if the owner is not in the vehicle.
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POLICE FOCUS ON DISTRACTED DRIVING THIS LABOUR DAY
Labour Day Weekend results
(ALMAGUIN HIGHLANDS, ON) – The Almaguin Highlands Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patrolled the Almaguin Highlands area this Labour Day Weekend. From Friday September 2, 2016 to Monday September 5, 2016 officers patrolled local roads, Towns and Villages enforcing Highway Traffic Act (HTA) offences with a focus on distracted driving.
This Labour Day weekend, officers responded to 72 calls for service and conducted 12 R.I.D.E (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) programs throughout the area checking a total of 379 vehicles.
Officers wrote 68 Provincial Offence Notices which include 44 speeding charges, two drivers were charged with distracted driving, nine seatbelt charges, one Liquor Licence Act charge and two Controlled Drugs and Substance act charges (CDSA) and numerous other Highway Traffic Act offences.
The OPP is pleased to report that there were no drivers charged with impaired driving this long weekend and would like to thank the majority of motorists who drove responsibly.
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2016 COMMUNITY SATISFACTION SURVEY RESULTS
(ALMAGUIN HIGHLANDS, ON) – Every four years the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) conducts a community satisfaction survey where random local residence will be asked to answer questions regarding their level of satisfaction with the OPP in their area.
The community satisfaction survey included questions regarding property crime, nuisance activities, youth gathering on the streets, violence in schools and lack of youth activities and/or programs and then compared to results from the previous survey in 2012. When callers were asked about those issues, 37.1% thought property crime was a problem, 17.7% thought nuisance activities were a problem, 36% felt alcohol abuse was a concern, 51.2% felt drug/substance abuse was a problem and 31.6% of people surveyed felt illegal drug grows or labs were a problem in their community.
The following chart shows the difference from 2012 to 2016 on how community members feel about policing in their community.
2012 / 2016
98.2% 98.4% of respondents felt ‘very safe’ or ‘safe’ in their community
81% 84.5% of respondents said the OPP were ‘very involved’ or ‘somewhat
involved’ in their community.
90% 89.2% of respondents were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the
OPP’s ability to work with communities to solve local problems.
87.2% 90.4% of respondents were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the
OPP’s visibility in their community.
92.6% 92.5% of respondents were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the
OPP’s visibility on the highways.
84.4% 83% of respondents were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the
ease of contacting the OPP.
85.2% 86.8% of respondents were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the
OPP’s enforcement of aggressive driving laws.
89.8% 89.9% of respondents were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the
OPP’s enforcement of drunk driving laws.
92.5% 92.8% of respondents were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the
quality of police service provided by the OPP.
The OPP would like to thank all community members who participated in this year’s survey.