OVER the May long weekend, the BC Highway Patrol conducted a province-wide enforcement initiative named Drive to Arrive to send a loud and clear message to drivers for the start of the summer season.
BC Highway Patrol members targeted the top high-risk driving behaviours contributing to serious injury and fatal collision on the highways, targeting excessive speeding, aggressive / dangerous driving, impaired driving, and distracted driving.
During the May long weekend, the BC Highway Patrol served over 2,830 violation tickets to, among others, speeders, street racers, and prohibited drivers. BCHP officers also conducted roadblocks across BC and removed over 80 impaired drivers from the highways.
The BCHP said there was no shortage of excessive speeders on the highways. Drivers were charged and received fines in the range of $368 to $483. They also had their vehicle impounded for seven days.
Here are just a few examples:
* A Ferrari going 143 km/hour in a posted 80 km/hour zone;
* A Chrysler 300 travelling at 128 km/hour in a 60 km/hour zone;
* A Volkswagen Touareg operating 136 km/hour in a 80 km/hour zone;
* Two Teslas travelling at 160 km/hour and 165 km/hour in a 90 km/hour zone;
* A Ford F150 travelling 110 km/hour in a 60 km/hour zone;
* Two street racers were stopped racing through a 60 km/hour zone going 131 km/hour;
* A BMW travelling at 185 km/hour in the 100 km/hour zone; and
* A Dodge Charger travelling at 208 km/hour, which was 108 km/hour over the posted speed limit.
BC Highway Patrol also removed 82 impaired drivers from our highways. In one particular case, the BCHP officer was conducting an impaired driving investigation when they pulled over a second impaired driver. Both drivers received immediate roadside driving prohibitions and both vehicles were impounded for 30 days.
“Thank you to the public for reporting high-risk drivers and impaired drivers. We would like to encourage the public to report high-risk driving to police immediately, so we can continue to work together to reduce the number of serious collisions on our highways,” says Cpl. Melissa Jongema, BC Highway Patrol Media Relations Officer. “Drivers should expect enhanced enforcement operations throughout the summer season as we continue to focus on high-risk and impaired drivers.”
