It's roadblock season in Nanaimo, where police are expected to be set up in different areas including side streets . (CFJC)
drive sober

CounterAttack: Nanaimo RCMP to set up roadblocks in ‘non traditional’ areas

Dec 5, 2020 | 7:46 AM

NANAIMO — Local mounties are on their yearly quest to limit the amount of impaired drivers on area roads through the holidays.

The detachment’s annual roadblocks will be established on “any given night”
through December with an emphasis on weekends, according to Nanaimo RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien.

“They’ll be targeting non-traditional areas. A lot of the public are expecting police officers to be at certain locations, we like to shake that up.”

O’Brien said their entire traffic division is focused on looking for impaired drivers, which will see eyes in high traffic areas in and around the downtown core and secondary roads.

“We expect to see some numbers increase throughout December, but overall the number of impaired drivers have been decreasing,” O’Brien said.

Officers with the RCMP’s Central Island Traffic Services division will have an increased presence on regional highways.

Impaired driving penalties can include fines ranging between $600 and $4,000, driving suspensions, jail time and an ignition interlock in your vehicle.

On average, 10 of the nearly 70 annual deaths related to impaired driving in B.C. occur on Vancouver Island, according to ICBC.

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