Ontario police launch holiday RIDE campaign to stop impaired driving

Ontario police services launched their holiday R.I.D.E. campaign on Thursday to keep impaired drivers off the roads.

The campaign means police will be out with breathalyzers to pull drivers over and check for alcohol and drug impairment. R.I.D.E. stands for reduce impaired driving everywhere.

Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, who spoke at the launch, said impaired driving can have devastating consequences for families and communities when it leads to road injuries and deaths.

Kerzner said people getting behind the wheel drunk should just not do it. People who do drive while under the influence will be prosecuted, he added.

"We have room for you in our jails. We will find you and we will lock you up," he said.

Kerzner urged residents to make safe decisions during the holidays.

In a news release on Thursday, the association provided some sobering statistics:

• One in three road deaths in Ontario involves impaired driving.
• A survey done in 2022 found that one in five drivers tested positive for drugs, alcohol or both.
• The percentage of drivers killed while under the influence of cannabis more than doubled between 2012 and 2020.

Police urged residents enjoying the holidays to:

• Plan and arrange for a designated driver or take public transportation.
• Offer a sober ride to a friend who has been drinking or consuming drugs.
• Call 911 to report suspected impaired drivers.
• Enjoy responsibly.

"Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs continues to be the leading contributing factor in serious road collisions in Canada," the release says.