In the sky surveillance: OPP
![OPP aerial patrol The OPP's aerial enforcement aircraft in 2008. (Tom Podolec / CTV Toronto)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/8/19/opp-aerial-patrol-1-7005511-1724063062371.png)
Police say more than half of motorcyclist fatalities are preventable.
To that end, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has started air patrols on its Cessna airplane.
"More motorcycle collisions again this week brings this year's fatalities to 39, setting the stage for a possible 10-year high in motorcyclist deaths on OPP-patrolled roads," stated the OPP in a press release. "Three motorcyclists under the age of 19 and two passengers are among the riders who have lost their lives this year."
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Through the OPP's Aerial Enforcement Program, the Cessna 206 is expected to become an effective tool for spotting and tracking motorcyclists and other drivers who travel at high speeds.
The OPP Cessna pilot is accompanied by an independent observer who calculates the distance a vehicle travels between highway markings to determine a driver's speed accurately.
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