WHEN a BC Highway Patrol officer saw a taxi leaving a liquor store with no passenger, he decided it was important to check that the man behind the wheel was safe to drive.

On April 29 at 8:11 a.m., the officer pulled over the yellow Toyota Prius taxi on Alexandra Road in Richmond.

“BC Highway Patrol’s Integrated Road Safety Unit (IRSU) is always on the lookout for impaired driving, even on a Tuesday morning,” said Cpl Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “In this case, the driver was given a mandatory breath demand, and an Approved Screening Device gave two results of ‘fail’.”

The taxi driver, a 33-year-old Delta man, lost his driver’s licence to a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition, and the taxi was towed and impounded for 30 days at the taxi company’s expense.

“The vast majority of taxi drivers take their jobs seriously and are sober,” says McLaughlin. “But if you’re ever a passenger and you feel like something is wrong, do not hesitate to call police right away. Your safety is our top priority.”