BC Highway Patrol Issues 1,190 Tickets in Safety Blitz
The BC Highway Patrol says too many drivers across the province continue to ignore basic road safety laws — using phones behind the wheel or skipping their seatbelts.
During September’s Distracted Driving and Occupant Restraint Month, officers handed out 1,190 tickets for violations ranging from cellphone use to seatbelt offences.
“It’s simple. Fewer distracted drivers and more seatbelt use means more lives saved,” said Superintendent Mike Coyle with BC Highway Patrol. “We’ll keep writing tickets, but the real goal is public safety.”
Ticket breakdown for use of electronic devices ($368 fine):
- Vancouver Island: 76
- Northern BC: 45
- Central BC (Merritt, Kelowna, Kamloops, Clearwater): 285
- Kootenays (Revelstoke, Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden): 116
- South Coast (Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Sea to Sky): 212
Total: 734 tickets
Ticket breakdown for seatbelt and occupant restraint offences ($167 fine):
- Vancouver Island: 79
- Northern BC: 71
- Central BC: 162
- Kootenays: 58
- South Coast: 86
Total: 456 tickets
The enforcement push was part of a broader effort to reduce preventable deaths and injuries on B.C. roads.
Coyle reminded drivers that fall’s darker, wetter conditions make paying attention even more critical.
“As we move into the Halloween season, pedestrians are harder to see in the darkness and rain,” he said. “You need all your focus to keep yourself and others safe.”
