A day after North Bay Police Service and West Nipissing OPP were given funding, more is on the way for police services in the Nipissing area.
Through the Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) grant, $42,401 is coming to help local law enforcement detect impaired drivers and keep them off the road.
“With this funding, our local police services will be able to conduct regular roadside spot-checks and education campaigns needed to detect impaired drivers and keep our roads safe,” said Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli. “It will help pay for cover sworn officers’ overtime and paid duty RIDE activities, and that’s really important.”
The funding is part of the larger $2.4 million the government announced province-wide for the RIDE program throughout the year.
“Impaired drivers, whether by drugs or alcohol, can be found on the road every single day — not just around the holidays,” said Solicitor General Jones. “It’s simple – don’t get behind the wheel if you’re impaired – make alternative arrangements to get home. This single decision can save your life and the lives of others.”
In North Bay, impaired driving has become a large focus of the OPP as they have blown past 2018’s total of 49 impaired charges, with 69 charges so far in 2019.
The government says in the last decade 1,700 people lost their lives, and over 25,000 people have been injured in collisions involving impaired drivers. They add with the legalization of cannabis, roadside checks have become even more crucial.