You Can Report Dangerous Drivers Online in Mississauga

It’s no secret that it’s been a bad year for traffic incidents in Peel. Last weekend, OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt released a Periscope video pleading with people to exercise more caution after a pedestrian was tragically struck and killed on the 401 after possibly stepping into live traffic lanes to inspect damage to his vehicle from a previous accident.

Earlier in the week, a series of collisions caused chaos on Brampton roads in one morning.

After the 401 incident, Sgt. Schmidt said that Ontario is currently sitting at an eight-year high in terms of pedestrian fatalities.

While accidents do happen (and the 401 tragedy likely occurred because no one ever expects to encounter a pedestrian on the highway at all, let alone at night), they are often preventable.

For some, a stern warning from police might encourage them to slow down or be more mindful of their surroundings.

Peel police recently promoted their Road Watch program, a tool that allows residents to identify dangerous and aggressive driving.

Basically, the program works by allowing people to fill out a Citizen Report Form to report any dangerous or erratic driving they witness on Peel roads.

The report, if filled out on Word or as a PDF, can be sent to [email protected].

Police are advising people to keep safety in mind when documenting details for the form (so don’t chase an aggressive or erratic driver, as that could endanger both yourself and others). The forms are completely confidential and, once they’re verified, the driver of the vehicle identified in the complaint is contacted by police.

According to police, the first time a report form is received, a letter is mailed to the plate owner with the date, location and reported violation. The registered owner is asked to assure police their vehicle is being operated safely and responsibly.

If a second letter is received regarding the same plate holder, the person in question will receive a letter and a phone call from police.

If a third incident is reported, the plate owner will receive another letter and a visit from police. Depending on the circumstances, charges may be considered and an officer may be detailed to monitor the vehicle’s actions.

While not all accidents are caused by aggressive driving, many are and anger and entitlement make the roads less safe.

Perhaps, going into the holiday season, we should all be mindful of our driving and exercise patience.

After all, we don’t want to receive stern letters or uncomfortable visits from officers–nor do we want to spend our time filling out reports.