Police, MADD urge sober rides as impaired driving charges mount in Essex County

Essex County OPP are reporting an increase in impaired driving charges. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell has more.

Police and community leaders in Essex County are renewing calls for motorists to plan sober rides this holiday season, as impaired driving charges continue to climb, despite ongoing enforcement and education efforts.

Essex County OPP Superintendent Mark Loucas said impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of serious and fatal collisions and is entirely preventable.

“To date during the campaign, Essex County has completed 218 RIDE checks, resulting in 18 drivers being charged for impaired operation over 80 or refusal, and 29 alcohol-related Criminal Code charges have been laid,” Loucas said.

So far this year, Essex County OPP has conducted more than 2,000 RIDE checks and responded to 74 alcohol-related collisions.

“Collisions that could have been prevented,” Loucas said.

Loucas said officers will continue enforcement efforts throughout the holiday season, warning drivers that choosing to get behind the wheel impaired carries serious consequences.

“Our message is clear — if you choose to drive impaired, you’ll be caught and will face serious consequences,” he said.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving Windsor-Essex County also emphasized the human toll of impaired driving, particularly as holiday celebrations ramp up.

“We want to remind people that there is a human cost to impaired driving,” said Chaouki Hamka of MADD Windsor-Essex County.

“Too many people pay the price for someone else’s selfish and dangerous decision.”

Hamka urged residents to plan ahead and use sober ride options, such as rideshare services, taxis, public transit or designated drivers.

“It’s simple. You have many ways to get home safe,” he said.

A Windsor personal injury lawyer said the consequences of an impaired driving conviction can follow a person for years, long after a court case is resolved.

Greg Monforton of Greg Monforton & Partners said an impaired driving charge can “adversely affect almost every corner of a person’s life,” including employment prospects and the ability to travel.

“It can affect your ability to enter the United States. It will definitely compromise your employment or your vocational opportunities,” Monforton said.

Monforton said he supports proposed tougher penalties for dangerous and impaired driving, including provisions under Ontario’s Safer Roads Communities Act, passed in 2024, which introduced a lifetime driver’s licence suspension for anyone convicted of impaired driving causing death under the Criminal Code.

He said impaired driving-related injuries and deaths are entirely preventable.

“Any injury, let alone death, caused by impaired driving is utterly and totally needless,” Monforton said.

Local officials said rural communities face unique challenges, including limited transportation options and a false sense of security when driving back roads.

Town of Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy said impaired driving remains a persistent issue across the county.

“A lot of people in rural areas think they can have a few drinks and drive the back roads and get home safely, but they’re putting themselves and others at risk,” Bondy explained.

“You can’t drive down the back road drunk. It’s no different than driving down any other road.”

Bondy pointed to the increased availability of alcohol and the presence of empty containers along roadways as signs the problem persists.

“It has to end,” she said.

“Be a responsible human, be a good human, and consider the lives of others with everything we do.”

Paul Sweet, chair of the Essex OPP Detachment Board North, said preventing impaired driving is a shared responsibility.

“If you see or suspect a person driving impaired, call 911 immediately,” Sweet said, urging residents to report suspected impaired drivers to police or Crime Stoppers.

Police and MADD said enforcement will remain visible through the remainder of the Festive RIDE campaign, with officers conducting checks day and night across the region.

“One impaired driver on the road is concerning,” Hamka said.

“But getting them caught before causing a crash or killing somebody is a positive thing.”