Mix of ‘locals and visitors’ nabbed in Tofino impaired driving crackdown, police say

Unmarked RCMP vehicles are seen during an impaired driving on Vancouver Island. (Handout)

A crackdown on impaired driving in a popular tourist destination on Vancouver Island nabbed an approximately 50/50 split of “locals and visitors,” according to B.C. Highway Patrol.

Authorities said 19 drivers were handed immediate roadside suspensions during a three-day enforcement blitz around Tofino and Ucluelet in late March.

Most of the drivers pulled off the roads were impaired by alcohol while five were under the influence of drugs, according to BCHP.

In a statement, Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said the mix of area residents and tourists caught in the crackdown shows that “everyone needs to make better decisions.”

“Plan a safe ride home no matter who you are,” said McLaughlin. “You can’t take a holiday from good decisions on our roads. You need to plan ahead even if you don’t have far to go or the roads aren’t as busy.”

Authorities sometimes see “too much complacency” among residents of small communities as well, McLaughlin said.

Officers also handed out 94 tickets for a variety of Motor Vehicle Act offences during the blitz—which was conducted by members of the BCHP, Tofino RCMP and Ucluelet RCMP—and charged two people with driving while prohibited.