14 vehicles impounded for excessive speeding on Sea to Sky Highway on Christmas Day

A B.C. Highway Patrol officer impounded 14 vehicles for excessive speeding on the Sea to Sky Highway on Christmas Day. (BCHP)

A single B.C. Highway Patrol officer removed more than a dozen excessive speeders from the Sea to Sky Highway on Christmas Day, according to the unit.

The officer ordered the impoundment of 14 vehicles on the holiday, including two that were clocked at 145 and 147 km/h in the 80 km/h zone, the BCHP said in a news release Wednesday.

Excessive speeding is defined in B.C.’s Motor Vehicle Act as exceeding the speed limit by more than 40 km/h. All of the vehicles impounded on Christmas were exceeding the posted limit by at least that much.

“Speeding 40 km/h over the limit equals death in collisions, and physics doesn’t take holidays,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin, in the release.

Also known as Highway 99, the Sea to Sky has become “notorious for speeding,” according to the BCHP, which said its officers are the ones who have to “deal with the deadly crashes that result.”

“We know that some people will think police are being mean,” said McLaughlin. “But it is literally our job to save your life, the life of your loved ones, and the lives of everyone using our roads.”

Drivers caught speeding excessively can have their vehicles impounded for seven days on a first offence, and longer if they’ve been caught doing so on any previous occasion within the last two years.

McLaughlin added a warning for would-be impaired drivers this New Year’s Eve, saying that offence doesn’t take a holiday either.

“We just want everyone to get home safe and healthy, but anyone who chooses to break traffic laws will need to get a ride from someone else,” McLaughlin said.