The BC Highway Patrol pulled 626 impaired drivers off provincial roads between June 15 and August 31, highlighting what police say is an ongoing and serious problem across the province.Supt. Mike Coyle, Operations Officer of BC Highway Patrol, said impaired driving remains the leading cause of criminal death in BC and warned residents that too many people still think it’s acceptable to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.The north and central regions of the province saw some of the highest totals relative to population size. Northern BC recorded 146 cases, including 11 drug-related. Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky and eastern Fraser Valley had 150, Vancouver Island saw 131 with 15 drug-related, central BC had 111, and the Kootenays reported 88, 31 of which were drug-related.Coyle said drug-impaired driving is a growing issue, particularly in rural areas. He urged drivers to take the issue more seriously, noting the rising number of serious and fatal collisions linked to impairment.Highway Patrol expanded its use of Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) during the campaign, which allows officers to demand a breath sample from any lawfully stopped driver without requiring reasonable suspicion. Officers say the test takes less than two minutes, and refusing it is a criminal offence.MAS was used extensively on Vancouver Island during the August concert season and in the East Kootenays, where more than 1,500 drivers were tested..Police pointed to an August 1 incident on Hwy. 93 in Kootenay National Park as an example of the problem. A green Jaguar was clocked at 153 km/h in a 90 zone. Though the driver did not appear intoxicated, he failed a MAS test and received a 3-day suspension, a $368 fine for excessive speeding, a 7-day impound, and at least three years of high-risk insurance premiums, pushing the total cost to nearly $2,500.Police said many impaired drivers caught this summer were initially stopped for speeding. Speeding, impaired driving and distracted driving remain the top three causes of fatal collisions in BC.
