New Year's Eve drunk driving targeted by police

Police in the Greater Toronto Area are targeting drunk drivers over the New Year's holiday by stepping up their RIDE program.

The OPP detachment in Caledon is also teaming up with York and Peel police to create a mega-RIDE program they believe will be more visible on the roads.

"We know that New Year's Eve is a major night to party, and we know that people will be out at bars and at house parties," said Caledon OPP Staff Sgt. Brian Knowler.

"And we will be out until three or four in the morning," he said.

Toronto police report they have charged more than 2,500 people with drunk driving this year.

Between Nov. 24 and Dec. 2, the OPP reports it pulled over 151 drivers and charged them with impaired driving.

On its website, the OPP reminds drivers that it is far easier to have a game plan for getting home than it is to get pulled over at a RIDE spot check and lose their licence, and perhaps even lose their vehicle on the spot.