The Ontario Provincial Police say 76 per cent more road deaths have been caused by speeding so far this year, compared to the same time in 2016.

As of Monday (June 26), speeding has been linked with 30 road fatalities on OPP-patrolled roads, compared to 17 at the same time last year.

“Excessive speed continues to threaten the safety of other road users with more than 1,400 charges so far this year laid by the OPP against drivers clocked at 50 kilometres per hour or more over the posted speed limit,” reads an OPP release issued Tuesday (June 27).

This Canada Day long weekend, OPP officers will focus on speeding and other forms of aggressive driving, including following too closely, unsafe passing and lane changes, failing to yield the right of way, road rage and other dangerous, high-risk driving behaviours.

“For some drivers, instances of speeding and other forms of aggressive driving are frequent and for others, they are part of their everyday driving behaviour,” says OPP Deputy Commissioner Brad Blair, Provincial Commander of Traffic Safety and Operational Support.

“Last year, our officers laid more than 240,000 speeding charges against drivers who took the lives of other road users into their own hands.”

Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation, encourages all drivers to slow down and stay safe this Canada Day long weekend.

“We take our work with our enforcement and other road safety partners to save more lives seriously and remind everyone of the real-life consequences of street racing,” says Minister Del Duca.

“All drivers who put others on the road at risk by driving aggressively could face a jail term of up to six month, fines of up to $10,000 and prolonged licence suspension upon conviction.”