Two people are dead and another seriously injured after a collision on Highway 89 near Alliston Friday afternoon.

The accident happened at the start of one of the most dangerous weekends for drivers, which is why the Ontario Provincial Police are ready to pull motorists, and their cars, off the roads during their annual Labour Day weekend traffic blitz.

OPP officers are set up on the 400 series highways. As well, the OPP Cessna aircraft will fly over roadways in the eastern region of the province and a second Cessna will patrol Highways 400, 401, 7 and 115.

"Many families will be returning home from cottages and other vacation spots while thousands of others will be on the roads this weekend to take advantage of the last long weekend of summer," OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said in a statement. "Our goal is to ensure every one of them gets to their destination and home again safely."

The OPP said that there have been 30 per cent fewer traffic crashes compared to this time last year.

"That translates to nearly a hundred lives saved since last year," OPP Const. Cam Woolley told CTV Toronto. "I think that's a result of the street-racing legislation, where we're targeting extreme drivers, aircraft enforcement, but also a lot of buy-in from drivers themselves. People are getting serious about safety."

According to OPP statistics, 199 people have been killed in 174 crashes so far in 2008. Last year, 293 people died in 251 crashes.

Compared with the same period last year:

  • Alcohol-related fatalities are down 43.9 per cent.
  • Speed-related deaths are down 40.7 per cent.
  • Deaths attributed to not wearing a seatbelt are down 42 per cent.

The Labour Day weekend is particularly dangerous for drivers. Last year, 11 people died on OPP-patrolled roads.

The Ministry of Transportation has also set up checkpoints to look for cars that are not fit for the road.

"We're looking for drivers' licenses, proper documentation, log books, trip inspections, just generally making sure that the vehicles on the road are in a safe state," Colin Shewell of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation told CTV Toronto.

As of late this afternoon, inspectors had checked more than 100 cars and trucks.

Landscaper Joey Silva's van was seized after MTO inspectors found problems with the brakes and steering.

"It's their job and in the end it helps us because it is for safety," Silva told CTV Toronto. "This is just an inconvenience for us now."

The MTO is weighing commercial vehicles to determine if they're overweight as well as ensuring mechanical systems are in good working order.

"You know, it's scary to think about what kind of stuff's driving up and down the road," said one MTO inspector.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Brad Giffen and files from The Canadian Press