The Ontario Provincial Police Festive R.I.D.E. Campaign is underway for 2022 in an effort to Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere.
"The OPP is doing the Festive R.I.D.E. program again this year. Officers will be out all day and night. It's on now until January 2," said Detachment Commander, Inspector Jeff Duggan.
Mandatory Alcohol Screening allows police officers to demand a breath test from any driver, including those pulled over in Festive R.I.D.E. stops, even if there is no evidence the driver has consumed alcohol.
Drug Recognition Evaluation and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing can be used to detect drug-impaired drivers. The penalties are the same as for those who are alcohol impaired.
Province-wide during the 2021-2022 Festive R.I.D.E. campaign, OPP officers conducted 8,374 RIDE stops and issued 237 Warn Range Suspensions and charged 1,188 drivers with impaired driving.
Impaired driving remains one of the leading criminal causes of death in Canada.