Nearly two-dozen impaired drivers were removed from roads around Lake Cowichan over the B.C. Day long weekend, according to RCMP.
BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) teamed up with Lake Cowichan RCMP to target high-risk driving offences amid “heavier than normal” traffic volume, nabbing 23 impaired drivers and ticketing another six for excessive speed.
Police say the minimum fine for excessive speed is $368 and three demerit points plus towing and impound fees, while impaired drivers face immediate driving prohibitions ranging from 24 hours to 90 days and towing and impound fees.
“While I am concerned about [the] number of people found driving impaired over the weekend, I was also very impressed by the large number of people who came through our road checks using designated drivers or shuttle services to ensure they got home safely,” said Staff-Sgt. Adam Tallboy, acting commander of BCHP Vancouver Island.
In an Aug. 8 news release, BCHP said its officers, together with RCMP, issued a total of 111 tickets over the long weekend and towed 21 vehicles.
The BCHP says it works closely with road safety partners, including local police detachments, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), RoadSafetyBC and the public to make highways safer.
ICBC is highlighting the consequences of impaired driving and says that on average, 11 people are killed and 320 injured in 600 impaired driving-related crashes on Vancouver Island every year.
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