A senior from Qualicum Beach is facing a three-figure fine after he was caught driving 108 kilometres per hour in a school zone, leaving one Mountie “in disbelief,” according to Oceanside RCMP.
On Tuesday morning, an RCMP officer was parked outside Kwalikum Secondary School on Village Way when their in-car radar recorded a vehicle approaching at the high speed, way above the 50 km/h speed limit.
Police say the officer pulled over the driver, an 83-year-old man behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz. He was fined $368 for the offence, while his vehicle was impounded for seven days under the BC Impoundment Program.
The law says police must impound vehicles driven by:
- Prohibited and suspended drivers
- Street racers and stunt drivers
- Excessive speeders
- Certain motorcycle offenders
- Unlicensed and under-licensed drivers
- Many alcohol-affected drivers
In this particular case, the driver triggered the excessive speeders clause, which states: “police can immediately impound your vehicle for seven days if you’re travelling more than 40 km per hour over the posted speed limit.”
On top of the fines, there are the fees associated with the impoundment law. According to one B.C. law firm, the fees for “storing” a vehicle in an impoundment lot can be anywhere from $250 for seven days to $850 for 30 days.
If for some reason you can’t pay, the fees don’t stop. The longer you wait, the bigger the bill.
“The officer said they were in disbelief when they observed the vehicle speeding at such excess through a school zone on a school day,” added Oceanside RCMP Sgt. Shane Worth in a news release.
“Our officers spend time enforcing speed zones at all of our local schools and we remind the motoring public to take care and slow down in school zones in order to keep everyone safe and avoid hefty fines and vehicle impounds.”
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Roger Collins
