Residents are being urged to do their part to keep impaired drivers off roads.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are kicking off their Festive R.I.D.E. campaign this week.
In a release, the OPP says residents have stepped up this year, placing over 21,000 calls to report suspected impaired drivers.
However, despite such efforts, officers have responded to about 2,000 collisions this year involving drugs or alcohol, resulting in 29 deaths and many more sustaining serious injuries.
"Losing a loved one in a collision that involves impaired driving is among the most preventable tragedies on our roads," says OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique. "Make a commitment to never drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs and report anyone you suspect of doing so to the police."
During the campaign, officers will be out and about to detect and charge motorists who are impaired.
Under Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) laws, police can ask any driver that is lawfully pulled over to provide a breath sample, even if the officer doesn't suspect the person had anything to drink.
Police can also ask for a Standardized Field Sobriety Test and a Drug Recognition Expert evaluation.
The OPP is also reminding young, novice and commercial drivers that there is a zero-tolerance policy for these driving classes.
So far this year, the OPP has laid over 8,000 charges relating to alcohol or drug impaired driving.
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