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Light Up the Province takes over 200 impaired drivers off the road in one weekend

BC Highway Patrol

2024-12-10 07:03 PST

The sea of flashing police lights on Highway #1, and on highways around the province this weekend, really did Light Up the Province as it took more than 220 impaired drivers off the road in BC.

: One vehicle getting towed for a 30-day impound and 90-day driving suspension, and another vehicle for a drug-impaired 24-hour suspension. Island Highway North, Melville, BC

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The massive effort was led by BC Highway Patrol and involved hundreds of police officers checking more than 43,000 vehicles on highways from Prince George, to Revelstoke, to Campbell River, to Nelson.

We know it feels like an inconvenience when you are waiting in line at a checkstop, but it’s effective and we are catching a lot of impaired drivers, said Superintendent Mike Coyle, the Acting Officer in Charge of BC Highway Patrol. Plenty of people still think they can get away with driving while impaired by alcohol and other drugs. It’s an unacceptable attitude and the reason why Light Up the Province is necessary.

The numbers are still being tabulated, but here are some minimums so far:

43,713 vehicles checked;
At least 222 Immediate Roadside Prohibitions (an impaired driver has their licence suspended immediately);
At least 279 Violation Tickets (for non-impaired driving);
More than 400 police officers working over 122 checkstops.

A busy BC Highway Patrol checkstop on Highway 97 in Prince George, BC

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Light Up the Province is BC Highway Patrol’s contribution to National Impaired Driving Day, which marks the traditional launch weekend for the December Winter Impaired Driving Campaign.

Attached are some photos that illustrate the event and consequences that come with impaired driving.

A pickup about to get towed for a 30-day impoundment near Kamloops, BC, while its driver gets a 90-days licence suspension