Lower Mainland RCMP are seeing excessive speeding on local highways, even after 41 vehicles were impounded over the Easter long weekend.
“Definitely we’ve seen an increase in some of those high risk driving behaviours,” said Mike Halskov of BC RCMP Traffic Services.
The Lower Mainland Integrated Road Safety Unit (IRSU) impounded the 41 cars over the long weekend across the region.
In addition, Squamish RCMP impounded a pair of high-end vehicles that were doing more than double the speed limit in an 80 km/h zone near Furry Creek.
We will have to ask the experts if a side effect of the COVID lockdown is bringing the inner race car driver out 🤔 Alas 163 & 188 in an 80 zone will get you a script & impound from us 🚔 #porteaucove #Hwy99 #noexcuses #astonmartin #audi #stayhome @BCRCMPTraffic @SeatoSkyHighway pic.twitter.com/OQPIDWhf68
— Squamish RCMP (@SquamishRCMP) April 21, 2020
Speeders have been popping up around North America as the stay-at-home orders and lack of traffic have made it possible to speed on roads that were normally too busy with traffic.
But the lack of traffic does not mean the rules are on hold, or that there is a lack of enforcement, Halskov noted.
There are still the same number of police out there and they seizing vehicles of drivers who are breaking the law.
“We’re trying to get people to flatten the curve, not bend the rules,” said Halskov.
The 41 drivers who saw their vehicles seized over the Easter weekend face $368 tickets, three points on their licenses, and a mandatory seven-day impound of their cars. They will also have to pay the impound costs for their cars, Halskov said.
Despite the tickets and impounds earlier in April, police have still been catching high-speed drivers on major roads such as Highway One through the Langley and Surrey area.
