Operation Impact, an OPP enforcement-driven traffic initiative designed to increase public awareness and compliance with safe driving measures, appears to have made an impact, as motor vehicle accidents and infractions over the Thanksgiving weekend were down significantly from the year before.

Over the long weekend, there was increased vigilance, not only on patrolled roads, but also on waterways and trails. To assist front line officers in this initiative, the OPP took to the skies by utilizing two aircraft and targeted aggressive drivers and speeders.

During the weekend Dufferin OPP detachment members issued 90 provincial offence notices to those using the roadways within Dufferin County.

There was a decrease, however, in motor vehicle collisions investigated by the detachment — six compared with 10 last year.

Dufferin OPP handed out 72 speeding tickets, for eight failing to wear seat belts, one for careless driving, one for racing and eight other for moving violations.

Province-wide, there was only one fatality during the long weekend as compared with 11 last year.

Across the province, OPP officers checked 145,071 vehicles, charged 7,155 people with speeding, 657 with non-seatbelt or child restraint use, laid 187 drinking and driving charges and handed out 113 three-day suspensions.

In Grey County, two impaired drivers were apprehended and three 72-hour driver's licence suspensions were issued. In addition, 121 drivers were charged with speeding, 19 seat belt tickets were served and there were six charges laid for other Highway Traffic Act moving violations.