IMPAIRED DRIVING CHARGES DOUBLE LAST YEAR

BRACEBRIDGE — Drinking and driving continues to be a major problem in the bottom half of Muskoka.

One woman had her kids in the vehicle and another driver  just got their auto back after having it impounded the week before for impaired driving.

Twice as many drivers as last year were charged with impaired driving in a month of statistics, say provincial police.

The OPP’s Bracebridge detachment analysed a 30-day period up to Monday and compared it to a similar time frame in 2018.

They say in a release that officers are continuing to work hard to take impaired drivers off of Muskoka road.

However, they “believe the message doesn’t seem to be sinking in with everyone.”

From May 12 to June 10, police charged 19 drivers/operators with Impaired Driving related charges, more than double the number of drivers charged during the same time period in 2018.

Police engaged 19 drivers in various situations such as at RIDE programs, responding to calls from members of the public, while patrolling the waterways or at collision scenes.

One driver had her young children in the car with her; and another had just gotten his vehicle back after it was impounded after an impaired charge seven days prior.

Police say impaired driving is one of the major factors contributing to injury or death on Ontario roads and police would like to remind people to have a plan for safe travel if you are going to be consuming alcohol or drugs.

They add that many impaired drivers are taken off of the roads when members of the public become engaged and call police from their hands-free cellphone if they suspect that someone is posing such a hazard.