Make Safety your First Priority on Roads and Waterways this summer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, May 19, 2022           12:15pm 

(Ottawa) – The summer season is short, so let’s make it enjoyable and safe for everyone. The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is providing tips to residents to be safe on our roads and waterways. 

“Lots of people are traveling to and from cottages, enjoying the water or using bicycles, motorcycles and other vehicles to commute,” says Staff Sergeant Denis Hull, commander of  the OPS Traffic Unit. “Whether you are riding, driving, walking, swimming or boating, we want everyone to be safe.” 

Watch out for our most vulnerable road users: cyclists, motorcycles and pedestrians and for everyone’s safety, obey all traffic signals and signs. 

The Marine Unit will be on the water educating boaters and enforcing laws for speeding, safety equipment and impaired driving. 

“It’s important boaters know and respect the laws meant to keep people safe on our waterways,” says Sgt. Walt Lushman, a member of the OPS Marine Unit. “Impaired penalties are the same on the water as they would be if you were operating a vehicle, and they apply to non-motorized water vessels like kayaks, canoes or SUPs.” 

Don’t take chances. Judgment and reaction times are slower when impaired and the combination of drinking or using drugs and operating a boat can result in serious injury or death. 

Boaters: 

• Wear a life jacket at all times.
• Ensure you have all safety equipment aboard your vessel (this includes seadoos, paddleboards, canoes and kayaks). Check the Transport Canada website for further details.
• Follow all posted speed limits and any other directional signage on the water.
• Slow down in no wake zones. Respect other water users so boats and shorelines aren’t damaged from your wake. More under the Canada Shipping Act.

The Ottawa Drowning Prevention Coalition reminds us all that drownings are avoidable. Follow these tips for staying safe around water. 

“People have a tendency to overestimate their swimming skills,” says Sgt. Lushman. “Even the strongest swimmers can find themselves in trouble. Wearing a life jacket in boats and while swimming can prevent a tragedy.”  

If you’re trying to beat the heat, remember that Quarries and bridges are private property and these bodies of water aren’t made for swimming. Both can have unseen hazards or currents. Go to public pools or beaches and know your skill level when it comes to swimming and water sports. 

Swimmers:

• Be aware of swimming in unknown waters; swift water and depths in our rivers can change quickly
• Always wear a life jacket near open bodies of water, no matter what level of swimmer you are. Currents are strong and there could be undertows. 
• Parents, stay within arms’ reach of your young children. Drowning can happen in a matter of seconds. Never leave your child unattended for even a short period of time; a drowning can happen in less time than it takes to read this tip.  
• Swimming, boating and alcohol don’t mix. Alcohol reduces the rate your brain can process information, lowers your body temperature making you more prone to hypothermia, affects your sense of distance and can lead to risk-taking behaviour. 

For more water safety tips, visit ottawapolice.ca.

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