During a one-week period which included the B.C. Day long weekend, the Vanderhoof RCMP detachment received 95 calls for service, and lodged 14 prisoners in the cells.
Construction zone collision
On Aug. 6 police were called to a three-vehicle collision on Hwy. 16 near the Degal Pit Road construction zone. One vehicle was completely written off, with the driver taken to hospital with unspecified injuries to the neck and shoulders. A second driver suffered whiplash, while the third driver, who was in a commercial vehicle, was unharmed.
Police are concerned about aggressive driving in both the construction zones between Vanderhoof and Prince George, and while they have focused on enforcement in both areas, they note that it is clear that more needs to be done. Drivers are reminded that traffic fines can double in construction zones, so please observe posted signs and obey the instructions of flag persons.
More ATV education needed
Another issue that Vanderhoof police are addressing is injuries and fatalities suffered by ATV users. There have not been any fatalities in the Vanderhoof area so far in 2015, but half-a-dozen people have died in the North District this year in ATV-related accidents. Most ATV collisions—fatal and non-fatal—involve alcohol and/or the lack of protective equipment. The police encourage ATV users to ensure they have the proper equipment, use common sense, and don’t mix alcohol with ATV use. Vanderhoof RCMP have received seasonal policing funding from the provincial government, which will go towards special enforcement and education for ATV users. This includes members on ATVs patrolling ATV trails, and an increased police car presence on the roads around popular ATV areas.
Barbara Roden