Police were busy in the days after Shambhala Music Festival.
In a statement Wednesday, RCMP said three alcohol-impaired drivers and 15 drug-impaired drivers were removed from the road on Monday and Tuesday in the area near the festival and Salmo in the West Kootenay region.
Police also found 272 other violations that included vehicle defects, unlicensed drivers and uninsured vehicles.
Sgt. Chad Badry of the West Kootenay Traffic Section said drivers were patient on the roads despite congestion.
“Many of the drivers caught up in the congestion not attending the festival took a moment to thank the police officers on the side of the road for doing the enhanced enforcement.”
RCMP also said they removed seven alcohol- and two drug-impaired drivers from the road in the week leading up to Shambhala, and had 133 contacts related to speeding of which 26 were excessive speed (more than 40 kilometers over the speed limit) and 178 other violations.
The numbers were made available after a fatal collision Monday evening on nearby Highway 3 that killed a four-year-old girl as well as a 26-year-old male driver from Cranbrook.
RCMP said officers from throughout British Columbia as well as the Nelson Police Department joined West Kootenay Traffic Services and West Kootenay Integrated Road Safety Unit during the festival.
Related:
• Police seize cash, vehicles and drugs headed to B.C.’s Shambhala music festival
