A driver caught travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 1 in North Vancouver was issued a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition after failing a breath test. The incident occurred on January 22, 2024, just before 3 am, when multiple witnesses reported a white Kia travelling westbound in the eastbound lanes with a flat tire on Highway 1 near the Lynn Valley exit.
Officers located the Kia near the Westview Drive exit on the highway. The vehicle had stopped in front of a flagger’s vehicle after the flagger noticed the Kia travelling the wrong way with three functional tires. When officers engaged with the driver of the Kia, they noted signs of impairment, and an impaired investigation was launched. The driver, a Burnaby woman in her thirties, was administered a roadside breath test and provided a failed sample. She was issued a 90-day immediate roadside prohibition, and the vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
“Wrong-way drivers on a highway pose an extreme danger to motorists, especially when impaired,” said Constable Mansoor Sahak, Media Relations Officer for the North Vancouver RCMP. “Fortunately, officers could act quickly with the public’s assistance and locate this dangerous driver before a collision occurred.” The police have urged the public to report any suspected impaired driver as soon as it is safe.
They also warn of the risks of impaired driving, which is often a significant factor in serious and fatal motor vehicle incidents. B.C. has the toughest drinking and driving laws in Canada, and those caught driving impaired could face driving suspensions ranging from 24 hours to 90 days, vehicle impoundment, fines from $600 and up to $4,060, jail time, mandatory rehabilitation, and installation of an ignition interlock in the vehicle.
Those convicted of impaired driving may also have to pay a Driver Risk Premium on top of their insurance, and if they crash while driving impaired, they may be personally responsible for 100 percent of the costs if they damage someone else’s property or injure them, according to ICBC.
