Waterloo regional police are asking people to stay sober behind the wheel after noting a significant increase in impaired-related charges last weekend.
Officers were out Nov. 21 and 23 across the region and responded to 14 impaired driving-related calls, a 250 per cent increase compared to the previous three-day period, officials said. The situations resulted in several charges being laid.
“These incidents included dangerous driving behaviours that put lives at risk,” Waterloo region police said in the press release.
Officers told CityNews in an email that there were no injuries reported in the 14 instances of impaired driving; however, in some additional details, police indicated the situations could have been different.
On Nov. 22, just before 5:00 a.m., police were called to Highway 401 for a vehicle travelling eastbound. According to reports, it was swerving and slowing down to under 90 km/h. When the vehicle was stopped, police said the driver was arrested and charged with operation while impaired (alcohol and drugs) and failure to comply with demand.
That same day, at 5:30 p.m., a Kitchener driver hit a parked vehicle and “continued driving erratically.”
“(S)werving into oncoming lanes, nearly hitting other cars and a GRT bus, and speeding through a parking lot before stopping,” officials relayed.
Several witnesses said the vehicle was a hazard and looked “out of control.” Police stopped it and charged the driver with impaired operation and dangerous operation.
In total, six reports happened in Cambridge, three in Kitchener, three in Waterloo and one each in North Dumfries and Wilmot Townships.
Of the situations:
- Four involved alcohol and collisions.
- Two involved drug impairment with collisions.
- One involved a novice driver with blood alcohol above zero.
These incidents happened just as officials were kicking off the Festive RIDE campaign, which is where police conduct enforcement aimed at reducing impaired driving. On Nov. 22, officers checked 950 vehicles and issued a three-day suspension, two seatbelt charges, an improper turn charge and an insecure load charge.