Thanksgiving Long Weekend And Operation Impact

OPP Want Strength in Numbers and Public Support to Make Campaign a Success

(SOUTH BRUCE COUNTY, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will be joining tens of thousands of Canadian police partners over the Thanksgiving long weekend for Operation Impact, an annual nation-wide traffic enforcement and education campaign aimed at saving lives and reducing injuries on roads throughout the country.

From 12:01 a.m. on Friday, October 7 to 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 10, 2011 the OPP and police services across Canada will be relentlessly targeting impaired drivers, those who drive aggressively or while distracted as well as those who are not compliant with seat belt and child restraint laws.

During the four-day campaign the OPP will be updating the public about the results of their enforcement efforts on Twitter and Facebook. During that time they will be looking to Ontarians to help educate the motoring public about safe driving by joining in the conversation on Facebook.

The start of Operation Impact coincides with the launch of the OPP Fall Seatbelt Campaign. From October 7 to 17, 2011 OPP officers will be highly visible throughout the province as they carry out targeted enforcement of seat belt and child restraint laws.

QUOTES

“Operation Impact is one of the traffic safety strategies that support the OPP’s Provincial Traffic Safety Program. It’s through important campaigns with our policing partners that we are able to work towards Canada’s Road Safety Strategy of making our roads the safest in the world”. – OPP Deputy Commissioner Larry Beechey, Provincial Commander, Traffic Safety and Operational Support.

“With Thanksgiving being an early fall long weekend, people see this as another opportunity to use our roads, waterways and trails. We have already seen far too many fatalities and serious injuries over the 2011 long weekends and we are counting on every person in Ontario to make this long weekend the safest one of all.” – Chief Superintendent Don Bell, Commander, Highway Safety Division.

“Holiday weekends provide a good opportunity to connect with family and friends; not to mark the death of a loved one in a preventable highway crash. Slow down, buckle up, drive sober and ignore the cell phone until you’re parked. Anyone travelling this weekend deserves to arrive safely at their destination for Thanksgiving.” – Inspector Bill Klym, Detachment Commander, South Bruce OPP.