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Friday July 4 2008 Another long weekend of the summer has passed, and yet again, the OPP tallied up the number of dead —eight (five on the road, and three on the water).
Over five days, the OPP charged nearly 200 drivers with driving more than 50 kilometres over the speed limit and issued 6,562 speeding tickets. Almost 700 seat-belt charges and 146 impaired driving charges were laid.
Added to that— on the latest new provincial highways, lakes and rivers— more than 100 charges for offences were laid.
Despite the numbers, OPP Julian Fantino said in a press release issued after the long weekend, “Our targeted enforcement, combined with the use of two aircraft and our extensive marine patrols appear to be having a positive affect on people. While even one death is one too many, it's encouraging to see our efforts are saving lives and enabling citizens to enjoy their vacations or long weekends safely."
Nevertheless, it continues to be a long weekend ritual— at the beginning the long weekend the OPP reports in the press that they will be out of the road looking for speeders and other offenders, and at the end of the weekend, they’re reporting in the press, the number of dead and number of charges laid.
However, despite this press coverage, people are still speeding, people are still not wearing their seat-belts and people are still not adhering to road and water safety rules.
What will it take to get the message to stick? Will there ever be a long weekend when no accidents, or speeding and seat-belt violations are reported?
While there are two more long weekends remaining this summer, driving and boating safety should be something that is practised daily.
Police don’t like to report on tragedies— and neither do we.

North Peel Media Group Newspapers: The Brampton Guardian Caledon Enterprise Independent & Free Press Orangeville Banner