Police are upping their aerial game in an effort to curb the increasing number of motorcycle-related fatalities.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is reporting a 56 per cent increase in fatalities, so the force is “expanding its vantage point to the sky with its Cessna airplane,” OPP said in a news release.
“Through the OPP’s Aerial Enforcement Program, the Cessna 206 is an effective tool for spotting and tracking motorcyclists (and other drivers) who think travelling at high speeds is worth the risk, be it for the thrill or as a means of evading police officers who spot them from the ground.”
There have been 39 motorcycle-related fatalities on OPP-patrolled roads this year, which police say is “setting the stage for a possible 10-year high.” Three motorcyclists younger than 19 and two passengers are among those who have died.
“The OPP reminds riders as well as motorists who share roadways with them that motorcyclists are the most vulnerable drivers on our roads, even when they drive safely.”
