More than 3,800 tickets were issued to drivers in the last week of January during the Toronto Police Service’s “Winter Watch” campaign, which focused on pedestrian safety.
In a news release issued Tuesday morning, police said that between Jan. 25 and Jan. 31, there were 3,853 tickets issued to drivers for various infractions, including the force’s “Big 4” offences—speeding, driving aggressively, driving while distracted and driving while impaired.
The majority of tickets handed out last week were for speeding, with 2,222 infractions. There were 734 tickets issued for aggressive driving and 128 for driving with a handheld device.
No information was provided for 769 of the tickets issued.
Ten impaired-related arrests were also made during the campaign, police said, and 11 stunt driving-related infractions were laid. Drivers accused of stunt driving received a licence suspension and their vehicles were impounded.
"We want to thank all those who helped spread our traffic safety messages throughout our #WinterWatchTO Pedestrian Campaign," Constable Jenelle Higo of Traffic Safety Programs said in a statement.
"When we take traffic safety seriously, we all benefit. Our hope is that we continue to change driver behaviour through education, engagement and enforcement to make all roads safe for everyone. If we can prevent the loss of one life, we are making a difference."
The “Winter Watch” campaign is part of the city’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan and is meant to enforce and educate drives about behaviours known to cause injuries to road users.
According to the Toronto Police Service, at least 170 people were killed on the city’s roads over the past three years. Of those deaths, 101 were pedestrians and 69 per cent were over the age of 55.
Officials also said that 51 per cent of those pedestrian fatalities occurred between November to March, when there are fewer daylight hours and visibility on the roads may be reduced.
