On the eve of a winter road safety traffic stop campaign, Cst. Blake Manchur was given a perfect example of why such campaigns are necessary.
That example took the form of a vehicle racing into Qualicum Beach at 128 kilometres per hour in a 50-kn/h speed zone on Highway 4 at the roundabout.
The Corporal with Central Island Traffic Services impounded the vehicle, but he said the incident goes to show just how much still needs to be learned by some drivers.
They got some of that information on Thursday when members of the RCMP and Central Island Traffic Services along with volunteers from COPS and members of SpeedWatch, set up traffic stops at two locations to impart some important messages.
Manchur said police set up traffic stops on Highway 19A across from the Log Cabin Esso in Parksville and at the roundabout in Qualicum Beach.
The focus, Manchur said, was traffic safety.
“We’re reminding drivers to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles, looking for impaired drivers and reminding people to watch their speed during winter driving,” he said. “If there’s something super-obvious, we’re going to have to deal with it, but education is the focus.”
