Caledon OPP offering winter driving tips

Caledon OPP are reminding motorists to prepare themselves and their vehicles for winter driving conditions.

They urge all drivers to get their vehicles ready; have four properly inflated tires or winter tires; place an ice scraper/snow brush in the car; top up the windshield washer with winter-grade fluid; keep the vehicle's fuel tank at least half-full; clear snow from all headlights, tail lights, vehicle's windows and licence plates; make sure they have working headlights, tail lights, brake lights and horn.

They ask drivers to slow down. Speed too fast for conditions is the number one cause of winter collisions.

Leave more space between vehicles. Stopping distance are at least double on snowy roads and even longer in icy conditions.

Signal intended moves early, to give other motorists lots of advance warning of intended turn or lane change.

Be ready for the drifts. Blowing snow may suddenly reduce visibility and cause the tires to catch in the drifts sending the vehicle out of control. Gusting winds can cause ice to form quickly on the roadways.

Drivers should always know where they are. Keep track of intersections as they pass them in case they need to call for help in an emergency.

Carry an emergency breakdown kit, including a flashlight, blanket, energy bar, bottled water, a call for help sign or better yet - a charged cell phone!

Monitor the road and weather conditions. Before heading out, check local media and road authority Web sites for conditions and road closures. Listen to the local radio during the journey.

Visit the Ministry of Transportation Web site at www.mto.gov.on.ca

Do not call 9-1-1 or the OPP for "road reports!"

OPP Festive RIDE

The OPP Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) festive season program has begun and runs through Jan. 2.

Impaired driving remains the leading criminal cause of death in Canada. OPP officers will be out in full force across the province in an effort to remove the threat of the impaired drivers and reduce the death toll on Ontario roads.

"The OPP conducts RIDE checks throughout the year, but we increase the number of officers on duty and the number of locations we monitor at this time of year. So far this year, 74 people have died in crashes where alcohol was a factor," said Commissioner Julian Fantino.

"That's an increase of 25 per cent over the same period last year," he added. "Motorists have to understand that it's not acceptable to drink and drive. The OPP will be out there on highways we patrol every day and we will have a zero tolerance policy toward anyone we stop who has been drinking."

Last year, during the fiveweek OPP Festive RIDE Initiative, officers stopped 814,536 vehicles at roadside checkpoints, 339 persons were charged with Criminal Code alcohol-related offences and a total of 802 12-hour license suspensions were issued. Officers also issued 365 90-day administrative driver's licence suspensions.

"Ontario roads are among the safest in North America," said Chief Superintendent Bill Grodzinski, Commander of the OPP's Highway Safety Division. "But we are working hard every day to make them even safer. The RIDE program has proven to be an effective deterrent and important tool to educate the driving public about the dangers of impaired driving."

Officers will also be on the lookout for aggressive drivers, those speeding and for people not using seatbelts.

Crossing the border to get the deal is not a safe bet, they point out, when it comes to certain items.

Caledon OPP has always stressed to use a child car seat appropriate for your child's development, weight and height, and to ensure that the child seat is used and installed correctly and it's the law. Now we have to add to the list - make sure it is legal to use in Canada.

Cross-border shopping may be cheap and convenient, but when it comes to buying a child's car seat or booster seat for use in Canada, Transport Canada warns consumers that it is illegal.

Transport Canada recently issued a warning to parents and caregivers to be aware that it is illegal to import and use in Canada, a seat that does not comply with Canadian standards.

When purchasing a child seat for use in Canada, parents and caregivers must look for the National Safety Mark label attached to the seat, indicating that the seat complies with Canadian regulations and standards, and is therefore legal for use in Canada.

Caledon OPP advises that the use of non-compliant child seats may not only jeopardize children's safety and pose a serious danger to the public, but it may also result in criminal charges or civil litigation in a situation that involves an injury or death of a child. At the very minimum, it could result in a fine and demerit point penalties.