With summer officially underway in the lead up to the Canada Day long weekend, police are out with a reminder about summer safety on the roads and waterways.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt tweeted the the grim statistics about failing to wear safety equipment.

“466 people have died in the last five years because they were not wearing their seatbelt, their helmet or their lifejacket,” said Schmidt.
“279 died in motor vehicle collisions across the province in the last five years, 114 died in marine fatalities by not wearing a life jacket.”

Another 54 people died in off-road vehicle crashes and 19 motorcyclists died.

Ontario Provincial Police will be out on roads, waterways and trails, ensuring people are wearing safety equipment that’s critical to saving their lives.