Distracted driving will be a key focus of a new West Region OPP traffic blitz that begins Friday.
From March 27 through April 3, all OPP detachments in the west region of the province will be participating in the Stay Focused campaign. The OPP says fatal collisions in the region caused by distracted driving have become a major concern.
The OPP says that in 2024, they investigated 114 fatal collisions, resulting in 125 deaths, and 45 of those deaths were linked to inattentive driving. In 2025, inattentive driving caused 22 deaths, and so far in 2026, two fatalities have already occurred.
To address this, OPP detachments will be rolling out "enhanced focused patrols" that target distracted drivers. Things officers will be looking for include drivers with handheld devices in use, driving with a display screen visible, and careless driving. The penalties for these offences vary from monetary fines, vehicle impounds, driver's licence suspensions, demerit points, and possible jail time.
