Three impaired driving charges have occurred in Vanderhoof so far in 2016.
With the high number of charges only three weeks into the New Year, the police says it will continue to hold road checks to prevent further cases.
In the past week, the Vandetrhoof RCMP lodged 14 prisoners — an above-average number — though the number of files were low at 65, said Cpl. Wade Harvey.
The prisoners were mostly taken to jail for bail violations and probation breaches, such as curfew or alcohol conditions.
Avoid surrounding traffic accidents by staying alert
As snow and accidents abound on Jan. 5 near noon, a car was able to avoid injuries and damage from a collision by moving to the nearby ditch in time.
The westbound car on Highway 16 by Bobtail Forest Road was waiting behind a pickup truck, slowing down for a turn.
A westbound commercial transport truck saw the lineup too late in the whirling snow, swerved into the eastbound lane and collided with an incoming transport truck, as well as the waiting pickup.
Though the three drivers suffered minor injuries and their vehicles were damaged, the car and its driver in the ditch escaped unscathed by the quick decision to move out of the way.
The police advises drivers to be mindful of surroundings and their own vehicle’s capabilities.
Vehicles driving at the posted speed limit, but not according to conditions, could be fined
While the RCMP’s regional traffic services continue its Counter Attack Initiative to discourage drinking and driving, the police will also continue its focus on enhancing speed enforcement during snowy conditions, said Cpl. Richard Vongkeo from the North District Traffic Services in Vanderhoof.
“A lot of people still are trying to drive at 100 km/h regardless of the road conditions,” Vongkeo said. “100 is not the speed limit when it’s blinding snow.”
He added that those not driving according to road conditions could be fined for $167 under the Motor Vehicle Act, which states that “a person must not drive a motor vehicle on a highway at a speed that is excessive relative to the road, traffic, visibility or weather conditions.”
- With files from Cpl. Wade Harvey, Vanderhoof RCMP, and Cpl. Richard Vongkeo, North District Traffic Services in Vanderhoof