(SOUTHERN BRUCE COUNTY, ON) – Easter weekend starts Friday April 6th, 2012. This 4 day weekend will provide the opportunity to connect with friends, family or travel up to cottage country, weather permitting. As the first long weekend of the year approaches, the South Bruce OPP wants motorists to think road safety as they make their travel plans.
The OPP’s Provincial Traffic Safety Plan is improving highway safety by targeting drivers that are making dangerous choices while driving. 4 main causal factors of crashes involving serious injury or death have been identified and are strictly enforced:
Aggressive driving
Distracted driving
Impaired driving
Failing to wear a seatbelt
For those planning to travel a long distance, the South Bruce OPP is offering the following safe driving tips:
Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road. A distracted driver is a completely preventable and totally unacceptable threat to public safety on the roads. The South Bruce OPP has adopted a zero tolerance for distracted driving.
Plan regular breaks. Heavy eyelids, yawning, loss of focus or drifting between lanes can lead to a serious crash. A good threshold for a pit stop is every 160 kilometres or 2 hours of travel.
Drive sober. Driving after drinking alcohol is bad judgement. An impaired driver becomes a greater danger on a holiday weekend due to the increase in traffic.
Buckle up. Seatbelts save lives and reduce the risk of injury if you become involved in a collision. Travelling without a seatbelt is not only illegal, it’s unsafe.
“The South Bruce OPP will be utilizing all available personnel during the Easter long weekend. Officers will be out all weekend enforcing traffic laws in the interest of public safety. The holiday weekend is a good chance to connect with family and friends. It’s not a good time to remember the loss of a loved one in a preventable highway crash. Decisions only take seconds, but making the wrong decision can lead to life long consequences. Keep your hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and if you’re not buckled up – what’s holding you back?†– Inspector Bill Klym, Commander, South Bruce OPP.