Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 10 a.m., 162 Wicksteed Avenue, Ontario police leaders launch 2016 Drive Safe! campaign, "It’s True: Risk-Takers Meet Undertakers"

Media advisory, Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 10 a.m., 162 Wicksteed Avenue, Ontario police leaders launch 2016 Drive Safe! campaign, "It’s True: Risk-Takers Meet Undertakers"

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 - 4:59 AM
Traffic Services:  416-808-1900

The Toronto Police Service, in partnership with the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and MacKinnon & Bowes, will be launching the "It's True: Risk-Takers Meet Undertakers" 2016 Drive Safe! campaign. The kick-off will be on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 10 a.m., at 162 Wicksteed Avenue.

Officers from TPS Traffic Services will be engaging in a special enforcement blitz in the Eglinton Avenue East & Laird Drive area, between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Officers will be paying special attention to those drivers who continue to display a total disregard for other users of the road by using hand-held communication and entertainment devices while driving.

The Toronto Police Service and Ontario’s police leaders are joining forces with leaders from the funeral industry and other community partners to tackle distracted driving, the top threat to safety on roadways across Ontario. The 2016 Drive Safe! R.I.D.E. traffic safety campaign features a booklet with information on Ontario’s distracted-driving and move-over laws and information from all Drive Safe! partners to help Ontarians make the right driving choices. Besides distracted driving, the booklet also has information on the dangers of drinking and driving, driving while impaired by drug, and stunt driving.

Toronto Police Service distracted-driving tickets for the last five years:

Year - Tickets
2010: 16708
2011: 23118
2012: 18106
2013: 13464
2014: 11564
2015: 12477
2016: 3623 YTD
Total: 99060

This OACP campaign is made possible through the support of our partners:

• Accident Support Services International Limited
• Allstate Insurance Company of Canada
• Canadian Tire Corporation
• Insurance Bureau of Canada
• LCBO, Molson Coors Canada
• Ontario Association of Cemetery and Funeral Professionals
• Ontario Funeral Services Association
• Ontario Ministry of Transportation
• Smart Serve Ontario
• The Beer Store
• Toronto Blue Jays
• VIA Rail Canada
• Yada

TPS Traffic Services Superintendent Gord Jones says, "Distracted driving continues to take one life after another. Through campaigns such as this, drivers can be educated so they make the right choice not to drive distracted. Knowing that the choice not to drive or engage in distracted driving type behaviour will save your life or the life of someone you love, makes your decision an easy one."

Please download the Toronto Police Service Mobile App for iOS or Android.

For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.

Constable Caroline de Kloet, Corporate Communications, for Constable Clint Stibbe, Traffic Services