Almost 8,000 speeding tickets were issued across British Columbia in October as part of the BC Highway Patrol’s Drive. The enforcement effort aimed to remind drivers to adjust their speed to match fall and winter conditions such as wet roads, reduced daylight, and limited visibility.
According to BC Highway Patrol, officers handed out 7,888 speeding tickets province-wide. The South Coast region—which includes Metro Vancouver, the Sea to Sky Highway corridor, and the Fraser Valley—recorded the highest number of violations at 2,167.
The Sea to Sky Highway, which connects Vancouver to Whistler, remains one of the province’s busiest and most scenic routes, but it’s also prone to rapidly changing weather and road conditions. Police say the area continues to see a high number of drivers failing to adjust their speed for rain, fog, and darker commutes.
“Drivers often think the rules don’t apply to them,” said Corporal Michael McLaughlin of BC Highway Patrol in a press release. “But once you hit another human being, or an animal, or badly injure yourself, it’s too late to be smarter or act better.”
McLaughlin reminded drivers that posted speed limits are meant for ideal conditions. When weather is poor, traffic is heavy, or visibility is low, motorists must slow down. The patrol also urged pedestrians and cyclists to wear reflective gear and stay alert, especially as daylight hours decrease.
“The weather has turned now and it’s dark most of the time,” McLaughlin added. “Slow down and avoid getting a ticket or something worse. Help us create a safer and better experience on our roads.”
When the widened Hwy 99 was finished in ’08, the RCMP was all over the media, promoting their helicopter enforcement, how they can catch these offenders, this was 18 years ago, in 18 years I have not seen the helicopter at work EVER since. I have lived On the StS for 22+ years, and I hear these screaming bikes multiple times each our, and here in LB, they are only supposed to go 60.