For some drivers, a sunny July day presents the perfect opportunity to rip up the Sea to Sky highway through Whistler. For police, it's an opportunity to interrupt those motorists' joyrides.
Sea to Sky RCMP's Whistler detachment conducted an excessive speed enforcement blitz on Highway 99 in Whistler over the week spanning July 10 to 17 that resulted in six motorists taken off the road.
In a release issued Friday, July 28, police said the vehicles were caught travelling at speeds between 136 and 157 kilometres per hour in a 90 km/h zone. "In all cases, violation tickets were issued and the vehicles were impounded," the release read.
The BC Motor Vehicle Act defines excessive speeding as driving at a rate “greater than 40 km/h over the applicable speed limit." Drivers caught speeding excessively can face fines ranging from $368 to $483, in addition to having their vehicle impounded for seven days.
“The Sea to Sky RCMP’s 2023-24 business plan incorporates delivering exemplary policing services that prioritize public safety, including improving the safety of our roadways through education, prevention and enforcement,” noted Const. Katrina Boehmer, media relations officer for Sea to Sky RCMP Whistler in the release.
"We want the residents and visitors who are driving within the Sea to Sky corridor to feel safe and secure during their travels, and the recent enforcement by our Members demonstrates our commitment to that objective.”
Sea to Sky RCMP’s officer-in-charge, Insp. Robert Dykstra, is credited with leading the enforcement initiative. Several Sea to Sky RCMP officers participated.
Police ask anyone who witnesses erratic driving or excessive speeding around Whistler to contact Sea to Sky Whistler RCMP at 604-932-3044, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or solvecrime.ca to remain anonymous.
