As a knowledgeable driver you are aware of the three blanket speed limits that cover the whole province of British Columbia.
These limits are 80 km/h outside a municipality, 50 km/h in a municipality and 20 km/h on a municipal lane. There is one more method of setting a smaller blanket speed zone and that is through the use of an area sign.
Area signs may set a blanket speed limit of 60 km/h or less and provide for exceptions through the words “unless otherwise posted” shown on the sign.
These smaller blanket zones are advertised in the British Columbia Gazette published by the Queen’s Printer.
Unfortunately, online access to the Gazette only comes at a price. If you are curious about the extend of an area zone, the easiest free access to the Gazette is at your local library.
As with any speed sign, you are expected to be travelling at the posted limit as you pass it.
Should you encounter an exception by passing a sign with a higher limit, be prepared to slow back to the area limit if you turn onto another highway and don’t see a sign telling you that you may do otherwise or you know that you have left the boundaries of the blanket area.
Violations of area speed zone limits carry the same penalty as all other speeding offences.
For more information on this topic, visit www.drivesmartbc.ca. Questions or comments are welcome by e-mail to comments@drivesmartbc.ca. Tim Schewe is a retired RCMP constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. His column appears Friday.
