For the second weekend in a row, RCMP blitzed the Prince George thoroughfares looking for unsafe drivers.
The commander of the city's RCMP traffic unit, Sgt. Al Steinhauser, said that one 10-hour shift on Friday was a particular focus because Mounties were joined by Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) inspectors. Together, they recorded the following results:
n 1-- Impaired driver charged (18-year-old female driver travelling 97 km/hour in a 50 km/hour zone while racing an ATV down Highland Boulevard).
n 1-- Attended the scene of a Pedestrian MVI
n 3 -- Excessive speed with seven-day vehicle impound
n 5 -- Other Speeding violations
n 1 -- Unlicensed driver (vehicle impounded)
n 2 -- Driving prohibitions issued
n 6 -- Electronic device violations
n 12 -- Driver's license violations
n 10 -- No Insurance violations (vehicles towed)
n 7 -- Seatbelt violations
n 3 -- Other violations (drive without consideration, U Turn in business district, fail to yield to pedestrian, etc.)
n 8 -- Notice and Order violations - Box 1 (plates seized and vehicles towed)
n 10 -- Notice and Order violations - Box 2 notice and order (30 days)
n 12 -- Notice and Order violations - Box 3 notice and order / warnings
n 27 -- Vehicle defects charges (mechanical defects, lighting, damaged or tinted windows, studded tires etc.)
n 30 -- Warnings - mechanical defects requiring repairs
n 138 -- total number of warnings and charges issued
"Traffic enforcement officers in Prince George will continue to target high risk drivers in our
community," said Steinhauser. "We know that targeting these offenders will make our roads safer and reduce the tragic effects their driving has on the public."
Police are encouraged by the results so far, despite the many violations they intervened on. The main statistics - injuries and fatalities - have been low. Even over the Victoria Day long weekend, there were no serious injuries or deaths anywhere in the northern region. In all of B.C., no one lost their life on a provincial road.
OPTIONAL SIDEBAR
Tips to help keep our roads safer:
- Slow down as you approach intersections and remember that a yellow light means you should stop if you can do so safely;
- When making a left turn, be extra careful and always yield to pedestrians and oncoming traffic. Always use your turn signal well before you make a move - it helps others know what you're doing;
- Leave enough space between your car and the one in front of you so you have more time to
react to the unexpected;
- Shoulder-check for cyclists before turning right or pulling away from a curb and watch for
oncoming cyclists before turning left;
- As the weather gets warmer, more motorcyclists will be hitting the road so be on the lookout, especially when turning left. Motorcyclists are hard to see and it can be difficult to judge their speed and intentions, so the safest thing to do is yield the right of way.
For more information about this campaign or road safety tips, go to www.icbc.com.
