Operation Impact by Alice Hewitt

 

The Windsor police service building is photographed on Oct.2, 2012 (PHOTO BY/ALICE HEWITT)

Drivers should be expecting a lesson in highway safety Thanksgiving weekend as Operation Impact starts Friday Oct. 5 and runs until Oct 8, encompassing all police services in Canada.

“It’s a task that will be enforced by our traffic unit,” said Sgt. Matthew D’Asti, public information officer for the Windsor police. “I think that generally people should expect us to be out there enforcing highway traffic laws.”

Over the long weekend, police officers will be out in force to ensure drivers are following the rules of the road, including seat belt safety and speed limits.

“It enables us to educate the public and that is always beneficial,” said D’Asti. “It’s certainly beneficial to everyone in the community.”

Lori Vermette has been driving for 16 years. She said the program is needed in the community but that it’s unfortunate the police wont be able to catch everyone committing driving offenses.

“It’s always the ones who think they wont get caught and don’t, who continue this behavior ” said Vermette. “It’s a shame too many people have that mentality and until it hits home with them, they’ll never know the reality of what drinking and driving does to a person or family.”

Although the initiative has worked over past years, it is only in place during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Other programs are in effect over the course of the year such as the Windsor Police Service R.I.D.E program.

Vermette said the police service should implement the Thanksgiving-type crack down more often than just annually.

“It’s a good way to deter people from it, however, I think the laws are getting tighter on drinking and driving,” Vermette said. “Texting while driving shouldn’t be tolerated. Put your eyes on the road and not anywhere else when driving. You drive in the direction where you’re looking and your phone isn’t one of them.”

More information on this program can be found via the Windsor police service website.