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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, March 12, 2015 | 4 Police tough on commercial vehicle safety and impaired driving by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver Commercial vehicle enforcement and impaired driving remain top priorities as Halton police aim to ensure safer roads and communities. Halton Regional Police Deputy Chief Andrew Fletcher presented recent Halton statistics on both at the Halton Regional Police Services Board meeting Feb. 26. While 2014 saw the highest enforcement effort over the past three years for commercial vehicles, it also saw the highest compliance rate, according to Fletcher. "Our charge rate per inspection has been dropping consistently for the last three years. This is a true team approach, with our commercial vehicle officers, who are assigned as part of our traffic services section at headquarters, to work alongside our District Response Unit officers," said Fletcher. A total of 837 commercial vehicle units were checked last year -- of which 565 were taken out of service, resulting in 3,623 charges or a 60 per cent charge rate. In 2013, 747 vehicles were stopped -- 567 were taken out of service, with 2,712 charges or a 71 per cent charge rate. Police checked 697 vehicles in 2012 -- of which 493 were removed from service, 2,682 charges were laid or a 73 per cent charge rate. "These stats do not include those that result from provincial blitzes we run two or three times a year, as these are joint operations with neighbouring police services and the MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario)," said Fletcher. Over the past three years, the most common defects found in commercial vehicles were overweight trucks, load security/cargo, brake issues, pre-trip violations, wheels/tires and annual inspection violations. Missing teeth? 330 Dundas St. E. Oakville 905-257-3182 info@klerdental.ca www.klerdental.ca A Halton Regional Police officer from the Commercial Vehicle Inspection Unit checks over the wheel and lug nuts of a cement truck. Through increased enforcement, commercial safety vehicle infractions are being reduced. | Oakville Beaver file photo We can fix that! Meanwhile, impaired driving charges increased region-wide last year over 2013 by nearly 18 per cent, while 12-hour licence suspensions increased by 34 per cent. Fletcher noted there were 400 impaired driving charges in 2014, compared to 340 in 2013. Of the increase of 60 cases last year, 21 were in Oakville. As a result of warnings on a roadside device, with readings of less than 80 milligrams of alcohol, there were 580 driver's licence suspensions in 2014 compared to 438 the previous year and 474 in 2011. "The increase in impaired arrests in Oakville has also been offset by the substantial decrease in 12-hour suspensions in Oakville," said Fletcher, noting the numbers dropped from 125 in 2013 to 83 in 2014. Open evenings & saturdays HEARING AID SPECIAL *Some Conditions Apply (Clients portion) Up to 3 Year Service Warranty HOME VISITS AVAILABLE $295 Latest Technology In Hopedale Mall, next to the CIBC 1515 Rebecca Street, Unit 38, Oakville SALE SALE! MARCH 19-22, 2015 4 DAYS ONLY! Everything's on sale! Minimium 15% off! In store, online & through mail order! family owned & operated GREENHAWK'S 30TH ANNIVERSARY 60 DAY GUARANTEE: FREE Hearing test · Age 55+ www.hearingclinicgroup.com 50 SAVE UP TO OFF* % SPECIALS! DAILY proudly Canadian Insta www.greenhawk.com Hopedale Hearing Clinic 905-827-7333 STORE LOCATIONS ACROSS CANADA. For more information & store hours visit www.greenhawk.com or our Facebook page! *Some exceptions apply. Manufacturer's restrictions apply. Percentage off the regular price. See stores for details.