Spring into Safety Campaign: 77 signs placed
Back to SearchFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 19, 2026 1:45 p.m.
(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) placed 77 “Impaired Driver Caught Here” signs across the city during its Spring into Safety: May RIDE campaign, which concluded on June 10.
The signs are installed at locations where impaired driving charges have been laid, serving as a visible reminder that impaired driving remains a serious and ongoing public safety concern in Ottawa.
As of June 10, 2026, OPS has laid 391 impaired-driving-related charges year-to-date, compared to 327 during the same period in 2025, an increase of 19.5 per cent. At the start of the campaign, impaired-driving offences were up 22.5 per cent over last year; by the campaign’s conclusion, that increase had been reduced by approximately 3 percentage points, reflecting a modest improvement.
During the campaign, impaired driving investigations originated from a variety of sources:
- 36 reports from 9-1-1 callers
- 18 collision investigations
- 16 traffic stops
- 7 RIDE program stops
The charges laid included:
- 54 impaired driving and over-80 mg offences
- 14 refusal offences
- 9 warn-range (Alert) suspensions
The wards with the highest number of sign placements were:
- Ward 10 (Gloucester-Southgate) – 10 signs
- Ward 12 (Rideau-Vanier) – 9 signs
Several locations saw multiple sign placements throughout the campaign, highlighting areas where impaired drivers were detected more than once:
- Roland Michener Drive and Earl Grey Drive – 5 signs in a single night during a RIDE operation
- Walkley Road – 4 signs
- Bank Street – 4 signs
- St. Laurent Boulevard – 4 signs
- Albion Road – 3 signs
- Brian Coburn Boulevard and Tenth Line Road – 2 signs
On average, OPS placed 2.75 signs per day, with only two days during the campaign when no signs were installed.
The Ottawa Police Service thanks the community members who called 9-1-1 to report suspected impaired drivers. Their vigilance helped officers quickly locate and investigate these drivers, contributing to safer roads and ensuring those who chose to drive impaired were held accountable.
Residents are encouraged to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or visiting Crime Stoppers.
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Through the Community Safety Data portal data.ottawapolice.ca, members of the public can view, download, and interact with data released by the Ottawa Police Service.
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CONTACT:
Ottawa Police Service Media Relations
Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366