310 collisions, 2 fatalities from Christmas to New Year’s in OPP’s West Region

Provincial police constantly remind motorists to drive safely, but the message gets a little louder around the holiday season.

Fortunately in Ontario Provincial Police’s West Region, many drivers got the message.

“From Tobermory to Lake Erie, Windsor to Guelph, since Dec. 25 to the first of January we investigated 310 collisions,” OPP Sergeant Dave Rektor told 980 CFPL.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "From Tobermory to Lake Erie, Windsor to Guelph, since Dec. 25 to the first of January we investigated 310 collisions," OPP Sergeant Dave Rektor told 980 CFPL.

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The crashes included both those that resulted in injuries and those that did not, as well as 38 vehicles abandoned in ditches and two fatalities.

The first was a head-on collision between a taxi cab minivan and an SUV in Leamington on Sunday. Michael Martin, 39, of Leamington, died while all five occupants of the taxi were taken to an area hospital.

The second was a snowmobile crash east of Tillsonburg. Todd Smith, 51, of South West Oxford Township, died after he crashed while driving in a wooded area near Baseline Road, Sunday.

Rektor added that nearly all of the crashes were preventable.

“When you see snow, go slow — it’s that easy,” said Rektor.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "When you see snow, go slow — it's that easy," said Rektor.

“Driving safe isn’t complex yet we have people with their own personal agendas that continue to speed, continue to text and talk while they’re driving, continue to drive impaired, and failure to wear seatbelts.”