Superior East OPP Joining in Operation Impact for Thanksgiving

Local police will be watching the roads over the Thanksgiving long weekend, joining a national campaign.

Superior East Ontario Provincial Police Constable Ashley Nickle explains the detachment's participating in Operation Impact, which will mean a focus on road safety.

Constable Nickle notes that means a focus on "The Big Four" driving behaviours.

Nickle says the enforcement will see patrols on roads and trails - when officers aren't responding to calls for service - urging everyone to "share our roads safely" so everyone can have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

OPP are reporting 268 fatalities on OPP-patrolled roads headings into October, a 24 percent increase over the same time last year, with the majority of the deaths attributed to "motorists consciously making bad decisions behind the wheel and failing to take seriously their enormous responsibility to drive and share the road safely" - that includes 69 speed-related fatalities, 57 inattentive-related fatalities, 40 alcohol or drug-related fatalities, and 40 associated with a lack of seatbelt use.