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Waterloo Region, Ontario – The Waterloo Regional Police Service has launched a 2020 Road Safety Plan aimed at making our roads safe for all users.
The plan outlines the Waterloo Regional Police Service’s commitment to reducing major injury collisions and fatalities on our roads and will focus on enforcement and education on the Fatal Four offences: impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding/aggressive driving, and seatbelt use.
Through a monthly road safety campaign, entitled Your Community, Your Choice, the Service will also focus on encouraging all road users to play a part in ensuring our roads are kept safe.
“This community-based road safety plan will focus on both enforcement and education,” says Bryan Larkin, Chief of Police. “But we can’t do it alone. We need the community to come on board with us and help make our roads as safe as possible. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility.”
As part of the plan, several initiatives will be carried out throughout 2020, including an increased focus on rural enforcement and the formation of Traffic Services Special Enforcement Teams. A focus will be placed on increased RIDE programs, Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs (STEP), high complaint areas, educational campaigns and community partnerships.
Statistics
- Of the 16 fatal collisions in Waterloo Region in 2019, 15 of them (94 per cent) were linked to one or more of the Fatal Four offences.
- In 2019, impaired driving was a contributing factor in six fatal collisions on Regional roadways. A total of 758 impaired driving charges were laid in 2019, compared to 748 in 2018.
- Drug impaired driving incidents continue to be a growing concern on area roadways, with drug impaired arrests in 2019 hitting the highest levels on local record. Officers arrested 102 offenders for impaired driving by drug in 2019 compared to 69 in 2018. This is a 48 per cent increase year over year, and a 161 per cent increase since 2015.
- Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviours are continually the most dangerous driving behaviours encountered on Waterloo Region roads and in 2019 was a contributing factor in eight of the 16 fatal motor vehicle collisions.
- Properly used occupant restraint systems are the most effective method of reducing injuries and death in a collision. In 2019, three fatal collisions involved failure to wear a seatbelt.
Media Inquiries
Cherri Greeno
Media Relations Coordinator
Executive Branch
Waterloo Regional Police Service
519-570-9777 (WRPS) ext. 8773
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