Speeding remains the leading cause of death on B.C. roads, and the Abbotsford Police Department alone has impounded more than 100 vehicles for excessive driving this year already.
Const. Scott McClure has been with Abby PD’s traffic unit for three years, and his team has impounded 11 cars for excessive speeding on Friday alone.
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“One was at 110 kilometres per hour and the other one at 119 kilometres per hour, that is in a 50 zone,” he told CityNews, who joined him for one day on his job.
“People are trying to beat Highway 1 traffic; they are trying to find a way around the normal routes and try to get to work a little bit quicker.”
0 Avenue along the U.S. border is a popular spot for infractions, and it didn’t take long for police to catch not one, but two speeders.
“It is a 60 zone, and I had you on radar for 94,” McClure told one speeder.
“I try to use my discretion and consider how I would drive and what the public would expect. In this case, I would expect they would want me to write a ticket.”
Using a mixture of radar and laser technology, officers can see the real-time speeds of multiple oncoming cars.
Additionally, officers are not just going after speeding; they are also going after impaired driving, dangerous behaviour, and distracted driving.
ICBC crash data and statistics help police determine which spots to stake out.
When issuing tickets, a driver’s history and attitude during a stop are both taken into consideration, but McClure has less patience for habitual speeders.
“They continue to take unnecessary risks to put others in jeopardy, including themselves, all to save a couple of minutes,” he said.
“When it comes to all the fatal collisions we have attended to, and the nightmare their families go through, I can tell you it is not worth it.”
