Nanaimo RCMP officers will have several more roadblocks set up throughout December to help educate and enforce impaired driving. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

roadblocks

Annual campaign sees several impaired drivers pulled off Nanaimo roads

Dec 8, 2023 | 4:11 PM

NANAIMO — Impaired drivers are rolling the dice, particularly this time of year if they’re behind the wheel under the influence.

Police departments and BC Highway Patrol members launched Light Up the Province last weekend, the first of a month-long enforcement campaign.

Nanaimo RCMP Res. Cst. Gary O’Brien said their officers were disappointed with the level of compliance during check stops at multiple locations on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 2.

“We stopped over 300 cars and sadly there were was 10 drivers who chose to drink and drive and of those 10, nine received 90 day prohibitions under the Motor Vehicle Act.”

One violator faced an elevated criminal code charge for impairment since the driver received a 90 day prohibition earlier this year.

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O’brien noted the 10 impaired drivers resulted from 17 breath samples ordered by their officers.

“If you are driving a motor vehicle they (police officers) can demand that you provide a breath sample. They don’t have to suspect that you’re drinking, as long as you’re in control of a vehicle you have to provide a breath sample.”

In addition to losing driving privileges, impaired driving fines ranging between $600 and $4,000, driving suspensions, jail time and an ignition interlock in your vehicle.

O’Brien said their road checks will be strategically set up on weekends through the end of the year.

“We will be out in numbers, we’ll be doing random road checks with the primary emphasis of looking for impaired drivers,” O’Brien said, who noted their front-line officers keenly watch for impaired/dangerous drivers while on the road.

O’Brien said their detachment is encouraged the overwhelming number of younger drivers in the 16 to 22 age-range take impaired driving seriously.

ICBC data showed Impaired driving has killed an average of 10 people annually on Vancouver Island and 61 throughout British Columbia over the last five years, according to ICBC data.

police nabbed 222 impaired drivers among 55,000 vehicles stopped at 228 check stops last weekend, according to a BC Highway Patrol.

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