BC Highway Patrol says thousands of traffic stops during this year's Shambhala Music Festival resulted in dozens of suspected drug-impaired driving investigations, 57 vehicles being towed and hundreds of traffic tickets as officers targeted unsafe drivers leaving the popular electronic music event.Up to 50,000 people attended the Shambhala Music Festival and related events at Salmo River Ranch from July 24 to 27. Police said they maintained a high-visibility enforcement presence despite having fewer resources than in 2025.During the festival, officers conducted 601 traffic enforcement contacts and issued hundreds of tickets for Motor Vehicle Act violations.The largest category of offences was speeding, with police issuing 311 speeding tickets and another seven excessive speeding tickets carrying fines ranging from $368 to $483.Officers also issued one ticket for driving without due care and attention, 10 seatbelt-related tickets, two tickets for using electronic devices while driving and 11 tickets for driving without insurance."It's concerning that so many people were driving with no insurance," said Sgt. Michael McLaughlin of BC Highway Patrol. "And it's particularly concerning combined with the high number of speeders. It shows a level of irresponsible decision-making, and we'd like to see safer behaviour on the roads that we all share.".Police established two roadside check stops as festivalgoers departed, focusing on impaired driving and unsafe vehicles.The operation resulted in 57 vehicles being towed because of driver impairment or mechanical safety concerns. Officers also issued 51 immediate 24-hour driving suspensions for suspected drug impairment.During the enforcement campaign, officers conducted 85 standardized field sobriety tests for suspected drug-impaired drivers. Those investigations led to 30 Drug Recognition Expert evaluations, resulting in 27 impaired-by-drug investigations and 23 blood samples collected for laboratory analysis.Police also issued another 50 violation tickets for various traffic offences and removed eight vehicles from the road immediately because of major mechanical defects."We asked people before the event to make sure they allowed drugs to clear their system before driving, but too many ignored that advice," McLaughlin said. "It looks like we will have to be back next year, and hopefully in greater numbers, to deal with festivalgoers who are driving unsafely."BC Highway Patrol said this year's operation included motorcycle officers patrolling for traffic violations and motorists attempting to avoid police check stops. Officers worked alongside the Nelson Police Department and Drug Recognition Experts from across British Columbia.
