Upper Ottawa Valley OPP officers are taking part in Operation Impact, a four-day national traffic safety campaign, as drivers across the Ottawa region head out for the Thanksgiving long weekend. The campaign is led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, according to Renfrew Today.
What Operation Impact is
Operation Impact is a national traffic safety campaign that runs for four days. It is led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Upper Ottawa Valley detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police is one of the forces taking part.
The sources do not say which specific offences officers will target, how many extra officers will be on the road, or exactly where checks will be set up. Those details have not been announced.
Why police are focused on this weekend
Police say Thanksgiving weekends have recorded the second-highest number of roadway fatalities among all long weekends in Ontario over the past decade. That makes it one of the more dangerous stretches of the year on the province's roads.
The OPP also point to the leading cause. Alcohol and drug impairment have been the leading factors in fatalities over the past 10 years, according to the force. For hosts and guests alike, that means planning a safe ride home before the first drink is poured, not after.
What drivers will see
Upper Ottawa Valley OPP officers will be highly visible throughout the detachment area.
The campaign is not limited to pavement. Officers will also patrol trails and waterways as part of the operation.
Planning your own Thanksgiving trip
That timing comes from ottown's earlier coverage of what is open and closed on the holiday Monday, and the OPP have not issued a separate warning about return traffic in the material we reviewed.
If you are heading across the river to enjoy the leaves, ottown's earlier report notes that fall colours are peaking in Gatineau Park and that thousands of visitors are expected. For holiday hours on the day itself, see ottown's earlier report on what is open and closed.
What happens next
The campaign is a four-day push, so the extra visibility is temporary. Police have not said when results from the operation will be released, or whether charge and ticket totals will be published afterward.
Sources: Renfrew Today (myFM / 107.7 WOW FM News)
