Speeding charges have nearly doubled across Essex County this year as Ontario Provincial Police increase their focus on daily traffic enforcement. Essex County OPP officers laid 5,106 speeding charges between January and the end of August, representing a 90.2 per cent increase from the 2,684 charges laid during the same period in 2025. Officers laid 2,241 speeding charges over the first eight months of 2024. Insp. Jamie Smith said it is difficult to determine whether the increase reflects a significant change in driver behaviour, increased enforcement or a combination of both. “I think, for us, it’s hard to say,” Smith said. “We’re out there every day, and the focus for the OPP has always been—one of our core functions is traffic safety. Nowadays, I would say every day is a traffic initiative or a campaign. Normally, they’re on the long weekends when there’s a lot of people travelling on our highways. Our goal is to minimize the tragedies that occur on our roadways and the fatalities that occur.” The increase was also evident in August, when officers laid 750 speeding charges — up 96.9 per cent from the 381 charges laid in August 2025. There were 318 charges during the same month in 2024. For Essex County driver Joe Nugent, speeding is a routine sight. “Every day. It’s many people,” Nugent said when asked how frequently he sees it. Nugent said drivers will often pass someone travelling at the posted limit on county roads, with the problem extending beyond major highways and onto local side roads. Smith said enforcement is commonly focused on Highway 401, Highway 3, County Road 22, and County Road 42, along with other heavily travelled commuter routes. Police also rely on residents to identify possible problem areas. “We gauge it on community complaints as well,” Smith said. “We’ll set up different measures to determine if, in fact, there is an actual problem occurring on our highways.” Depending on the complaint, police may install speed-monitoring equipment or send an officer to conduct traffic patrols before deciding whether sustained enforcement is required. “A lot of it is driven by the community,” Smith said. “We rely on the community for things occurring within each municipality.” 18-year-old driver Austin Mann said he frequently notices risky behaviour among people his age and acknowledged he has not always followed the rules himself. “There’s a lot of irresponsible teenagers around my age,” Mann said. “To see it just happen in front of me, it’s pretty scary.” Mann said roundabouts are a particular concern because some motorists speed up to them and enter without yielding properly. “It’s pretty sketchy trying to figure your way out of that,” he said. Smith said police are also using warnings and education, but officers will lay charges when necessary. “Our warnings are up as well, so it’s an educational piece as well,” Smith said. “But, at some point, we do have to start enforcing some of the laws out there.” Police are also increasing their visibility in school zones following the start of the academic year. “The fines are a little bit different. The speeds are different,” Smith said. “For the most part, speeds aren’t too bad, but we’re talking about children in the area, so a kilometre over can make a difference in the stopping of the motor vehicle.” During the Labour Day long weekend, Essex County OPP laid 165 speeding charges — the highest total among OPP detachments in the West Region. Smith encouraged motorists to leave earlier and give themselves more time, particularly as winter approaches and driving conditions deteriorate. “We’re all in a hurry each and every day. Lives are busy,” Smith said. “Just slow down. Take that extra time in the mornings to get to your destination safely.” Essex County OPP provides policing in Tecumseh, Lakeshore, Essex, Kingsville, Leamington, and Pelee Island, while also handling traffic enforcement on provincial highways including Highway 401, Highway 3, and Highway 77.
