Delta police handed out 236 violation tickets last week during Operation Impact – a national road safety campaign held Oct. 9 to 12.
Sponsored by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police the campaign targets the most dangerous driving offences, which in-turn, typically cause the most life-altering or fatal injury collision files, including: stunting, street racing, distracted driving, excessive speed, impaired driving, and undue care.
Of the 236 violation tickets handed out by police, they included: 12 for excessive speed impoundments, four, 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition, one, three-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition, one unlicensed driver impound, one, three-day, 24-hour driving suspension for drug use, one drug recognition evaluation investigation and one prohibited driver arrests.
“We understand and hear your concerns about road safety in Delta,” said a release from Delta police. “A reminder that our officers are monitoring the roads 24/7, not just during these specialized campaigns.”
In a follow-up interview with DPD spokesperson Cris Leykauf, she provided the Optimist with a few examples of what officers dealt with:
*An impaired driver drinking beer in their truck in a store parking lot.
*Stopped a high-end vehicle travelling 163 km/hr in an 80 km/hr zone on Highway 99. It was also a rainy day, with wet roads.
*Stopped an impaired driver who admitted drinking two double margaritas before driving.
*Stopped a driver who passed and officer on Nordel Way in North Delta, then increased speed excessively and began to tail gate the vehicle in front of him. Clocked doing 106 km/hr in 60 km/hr zone.
*Stopped an impaired driver on 120th Street in North Delta. The driver made a right turn from the middle lane, failed to come to a full stop and then cut in front of another vehicle at a red light.
*Stopped a driver doing a shocking 167 km/hr through the intersection of 56th and Highway 17 around 9:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.
“This could have had a tragic ending so easily given the amount of traffic in the area,” said Leykauf. “For the record this will end up costing that driver around $2,000 in fines and fees plus he lost his car for seven days.”
