Police will be out in full force this Victoria Day long weekend keeping an eye out for dangerous drivers, North District RCMP traffic services inspector Eric Brewer warned Friday.
"Every traffic unit in the province will have maximum resources out on the road this long weekend," Brewer said during a media event at the Civic Centre. "So, you can expect that when you hit 100 Mile House you can expect a police car from there to Fort Nelson or out to Prince Rupert."
They'll be using both regular cruisers and unmarked vehicles, automatic licence plate recognition systems to target people driving while suspended, and a new aircraft will take to the sky.
"Look up every once in awhile because it must may be up there monitoring traffic patterns and looking for those aggressive driving behaviours that we can't normally pick up in a police car driving down the road," he said.
There were 68 fatalities on northern B.C. roads last year and Brewer said all of them could have been prevented.
"Speeding, following too close, failing to yield, passing on double-solid lines and in curves - all of those things are killing people needlessly every day," he said.
He encouraged drivers to be well rested and patient and to pull over, get out and stretch the legs every once in awhile to get back into the rhythm of driving. If someone is driving aggressively, pull over an let them go by, Brewer advised.
He also noted that if you driving faster than 90 kilometres per hour at night, you're "out-driving your headlights" and could end up in a tangle with wildlife.
"We have had a number of fatalities in the North District where a moose has come through the windshield of cars and killed drivers and passengers," he said.
