THUNDER BAY — Ontario Provincial Police in the North West Region laid hundreds of charges over the Civic Holiday weekend, but reported a significant drop in collisions compared to last year.
Between Friday, Aug. 1 and Monday, Aug. 4, the OPP conducted a region-wide traffic safety campaign targeting the “big four” collision risk factors: impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving (including speeding), and seatbelt non-compliance.
During the campaign, officers issued:
- 397 speeding charges
- 20 seatbelt infractions
- 15 impaired driving charges
- 8 distracted driving charges
Five collisions were reported on Highway 17 and 11 combined, representing a 64 per cent decrease from the 2024 Civic Holiday weekend.
Although there have since been two were fatal collisions, in the Ignace area on Tuesday and Wednesday, no fatalities were reported during the long weekend blitz.
The OPP’s traffic incident management and enforcement team acknowledged the cooperation of drivers who “made the right choice to drive safely” during one of the summer’s busiest travel weekends.
"Road safety is a shared responsibility," the OPP reminded the public. "No matter what time of year it is, remember to slow down, buckle up, stay alert, and never drive impaired."
