Vehicles were towed and several drivers needed to find another way home after being caught impaired behind the wheel after attending music events in Lake Cowichan this month. (BC Highway Patrol)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

impaired driving

Hundreds of tickets, roadside prohibitions issued after mid-Island music events

Aug 19, 2025 | 1:55 PM

NANAIMO — A pair of live music events in the Cowichan area showed too many people still believe they can drive impaired.

BC Highway Patrol issued a total of 29 immediate roadside prohibitions for impaired driving, ranging in length from 24 hours to 90 days, at roadside checkpoints in conjunction with Sunfest in Lake Cowichan over the August long weekend, and the Aug. 9 Nickelback performance at the same venue.

Cpl. Michel McLaughlin said officers were out in force on the routes away from the venue.

“We were conscious that there were going to be some people making bad decisions about driving while impaired, so we did a lot of enforcement. Not only did we write over 200 tickets, but we did hundreds of these breath demands, and we were able to take a significant number of impaired drivers off the road.”

In addition to the prohibitions, over 220 violation tickets were also issued for a variety of reasons.

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“This is a grab bag of all the violations you can imagine: seat belt violations, speeding, vehicles not in order, improper lane changes, general road safety,” McLaughlin added. “A big focus for BC Highway Patrol during these concerts was making sure people were driving sober.”

Officers conducted both normal roadside breath testing, as well as nearly 300 Mandatory Alcohol Screenings, which sees drivers quickly read a demand from officers and provide a short breath sample before being moved on.

The number of tickets and prohibitions issued stemmed from thousands of vehicles moving through the site.

“We’re very good at finding and stopping impaired drivers, so unfortunately, it’s not a surprise to see numbers high. If you’re going to a concert, BC Highway Patrol is going to be on the roads. Why not just go there, safe, enjoy yourself, and not have to deal with the legal consequences either?”

Several vehicles were also towed from the area as a result of drivers receiving an immediate roadside prohibition.

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