The York Regional Police Road Safety Bureau and its new Regional Enforcement of Priorities (REP) team is committed to keeping York Region roads safe.
In February 2021 until June 1, 2021, the REP team took part in an initiative called Repeat Offender Prohibited-Driver Enforcement. The initiative targeted habitual high-risk prohibited drivers, high-risk criminal offenders with court-imposed driving conditions and individuals wanted for driving offences.
As a result of those efforts, the REP team made 43 arrests and laid numerous criminal and provincial charges.
The new unit launched at the beginning of January 2021, under the enforcement umbrella of the Road Safety Bureau. The team was formed to focus attention on criminal offences related to the top road safety priorities in our communities such as impaired drivers, dangerous drivers and high-risk driving behaviors.
Road safety continues to be among the top community concerns in York Region. Certain types of driving infractions have been identified as the Big 4 Dangers, which are the behaviours that put drivers, passengers, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users most at risk. These are impaired driving, either by alcohol and/or drugs, improper use or failure to use seatbelts, aggressive driving and distracted driving.
Achieving safety on our roads is a collaborative effort in partnership with our community. Citizens are encouraged to report unsafe driving, either by calling 9-1-1 if the incident appears to be a potential life-threatening emergency, calling the non-emergency line for non-emergency situations, or by reporting the incident through the Road Watch program at https://onlinereporting.yrp.ca/RoadWatch.html.
