The Kootenay region recorded one of the highest rates of drug-impaired driving during the summer, according to BC Highway Patrol (BCHP).
Between June 15 and Aug. 31, BCHP reportedly removed 626 impaired drivers from B.C. roads.
Of those, 88 were in the Kootenays, including 31 impaired by drugs, which was the highest number of drug-related cases of all regions.
“Drug-impaired driving is a particular issue in the Kootenays, though it’s an increasing problem everywhere,” said Supt. Mike Coyle, operations officer for BC Highway Patrol.
Northern B.C. reported the highest overall total with 146 drivers removed, while Metro Vancouver and the Sea to Sky region reported 150 combined cases.
Vancouver Island recorded 131, and central B.C. had 111.
RCMP used Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) throughout the campaign.
MAS allows officers to demand a roadside breath sample from any stopped driver without requiring suspicion of impairment.
In the East Kootenay, more than 1,500 drivers were screened using MAS.
On Aug. 1, a driver was stopped for speeding at 153 km/h in a 90 zone on Highway 93 in Kootenay National Park.
Although the driver reportedly showed no visible signs of impairment, a MAS test resulted in a “warn.” The driver received a three-day suspension, a $368 fine and a seven-day vehicle impound.
BC Highway Patrol says impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of fatal collisions in British Columbia.
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