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Tuesday morning taxi driver gets stopped for impaired driving by BC Highway Patrol

BC Highway Patrol

2025-05-05 08:35 PDT

File # 1305 2025-479

When a BC Highway Patrol officer saw a taxi leaving a liquor store with no passenger, he decided it was important to check that the man behind the wheel was safe to drive.

On April 29, 2025, at 8:11 a.m., the BC Highway Patrol officer pulled over the yellow Toyota Prius taxi on Alexandra Road in Richmond, BC.

BC Highway Patrol’s Integrated Road Safety Unit (IRSU) is always on the lookout for impaired driving, even on a Tuesday morning, said Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. In this case, the driver was given a mandatory breath demand, and an Approved Screening Device gave two results of ‘fail’.

A taxi stopped at the side of the road with a BC Highway Patrol vehicle. The driver has received a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition

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The taxi driver, a 33-year-old Delta man, lost his driver’s licence to a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition, and the taxi was towed and impounded for 30 days at the taxi company’s expense.

The vast majority of taxi drivers take their jobs seriously and are sober, says Corporal McLaughlin. But if you’re ever a passenger and you feel like something is wrong, do not hesitate to call police right away. Your safety is our top priority.

This taxi, on a flat-deck tow-truck, was impounded after a BC Highway Patrol officer determined the driver was impaired