With summer now in full effect, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will be ramping up enforcement around safety equipment on roads, trails and waterways.
On the Road
Over the last three full years (2022-2024), the loss of 188 lives on OPP-patrolled roads was either attributed to or a direct result of not wearing a seatbelt. Buckling up only takes a few seconds and could be the one thing that saves your life and reduces the extent of your injuries if you are involved in a collision. Police remind motorists to buckle up and ensure children and toddlers are properly restrained.
Off-road
Over the same three-year period, 43 of the 88 riders killed in off-road vehicle incidents in OPP jurisdiction chose to not wear a helmet. Off-roading carries unique risks for riders and their passengers, including riding on uneven terrain, which can easily cause drivers to lose control of their vehicle and crash, police advise.
Motorcyclists and cyclists are also reminded to always wear a properly fitted helmet.
On the water
The most under-utilized piece of equipment among road, waterway and trail users year after year is the lifejacket, police report.
Of the 72 people who died in OPP-investigated marine incidents in the last three years, 59 of the boaters/paddlers chose not to wear a lifejacket.
Emergency services were called to New Jerusalem Road and Sawmill Road in Conestogo June 18 after two pickup trucks collided, with a tractor towing them to the side of the road. Photos: Andrea Eymann
JUNE 25
3:00 PM | Waterloo Regional Police received a report of a theft at an address on University Avenue in Elmira. The investigation is ongoing.
JUNE 26
5:00 AM | Police received a report involving a weapon at a location on Fountain Street in Breslau. It was determined not to be a criminal investigation, with no safety concerns.
9:00 AM | A single-vehicle collision involving an animal in the roadway occurred on St. Charles Street East in Woolwich Township. No injuries were reported.
12:00 PM | Police responded to a single-vehicle collision on Notre Dame Drive in Wilmot Township. No one was injured, but the driver was charged under the Highway Traffic Act.
JUNE 27
8:00 AM | Sometime overnight, a vehicle parked on St. Boniface Drive in Maryhill was entered and the owner’s property was taken. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
3:00 PM | Sometime between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., unknown suspect(s) attended a business on Arthur Street South in Elmira and stole property. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
