Police launch festive RIDE

Drivers will be seeing more police on the road as the Festive RIDE season officially launched Thursday.

Now in its fourth year, the program will see Thunder Bay Police Service, OPP, RCMP and Nishnawbe Aski Police Service team up to set up checkpoints on area roads and highways. OPP traffic staff Sgt. Ken Mantley said although RIDE programs are conducted throughout the year, the different police organizations form a partnership to cover more ground during the holiday season.

"The biggest difference is that we work with our partner agencies closely together," Mantey said. "By working together we’re able to cover more area conduct more RIDES and hopefully deter drinking and driving."

Police searched 32,000 cars last year and made 21 drinking and driving arrests. Mantey said he hopes those numbers improve this year.

"That’s actually very disappointing that’s almost one a day during the festive ride season that we arrested somebody and charged them with a drinking and driving offences," he said.

With a media blitz and increased presence on the road, Mantey said he thinks the program does deter drinking and driving. But there are still people out there who are taking the risk.

"Unfortunately there are still some people that don’t receive that message," said Mantey.

A new penalty for this holiday season is the risk of having a vehicle impounded. Mantey said anyone caught over the legal limit or failing to provide a breath sample after Dec. 1 will have their vehicle impounded regardless of who owns it.

"It doesn’t matter whose vehicle it is it could be your brother’s your mom‘s your employer’s," said Mantey.