B.C. Highway Patrol impounds more than 60 vehicles in 1 week of Sea to Sky enforcement

Police shared this image of a Harley Davidson motorcycle being impounded after its driver was allegedly caught speeding while impaired. (BCHP)

B.C. Highway Patrol officers impounded more than 60 vehicles for speed and impairment along the Sea to Sky Highway during the last week of August.

The total works out to more than eight per day, on average, over a seven-day period, though roughly half of the impoundments – 31 – occurred over Labour Day weekend, according to the BCHP.

“There are still too many people driving unimaginably fast or impaired on the Sea to Sky,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin in a news release Tuesday.

“And while it’s hard to believe, we keep catching people doing both at the same time.”

Police gave two examples in their release.

On Aug. 27, a BCHP officer clocked a blue pickup truck travelling 132 km/h in an 80 km/h zone near Porteau Cove.

The driver, a 29-year-old Vancouver man, “blew two warns” on a breathalyzer and was given a three-day driving suspension and a $368 ticket for excessive speeding, according to police.

He also had his truck impounded for seven days, at his expense, and will likely face at least three years of high-risk driving premiums on his insurance, which police estimated will push his total costs from the traffic stop to “almost $2,500.”

On Aug. 31, police stopped a 61-year-old North Vancouver man who was riding a Harley Davidson at 110 km/h in a 60 km/h zone in Lions Bay, the BCHP said.

After two fail readings on a breathalyzer, he received a 90-day immediate roadside driving prohibition, a 30-day impound of the motorcycle, a $368 ticket for excessive speeding and a $109 ticket for unnecessary noise due to his bike’s “after-market muffler,” police said.

The BCHP estimated that the motorcyclist’s increased insurance premiums will result in a total cost over $2,500.

“Traffic patterns and volumes are shifting with back-to-school, and weather and darkness are bigger factors every day,” said McLaughlin. “We’re encouraging you to slow down and plan for more time on the road. It shouldn’t need to be said, but you also need to stay sober.”