BC Highway Patrol checks 600 drivers for sobriety in South Okanagan

Penticton, Keremeos, Osoyoos, Summerland, Road Safety Unit, Traffic Patrol, BC Highway Patrol

2024-07-09 07:33 PDT

 With summer now in full swing, BC Highway Patrol prevented a high number of impaired drivers from continuing over recent impaired driving checks. Taking part in the provincial summer impaired driving campaign on behalf of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police, BC Highway Patrol Keremeos officers conducted Impaired Driving Road Checks between July 4, 2024 and July 6, 2024, in the south Okanagan in the communities of Osoyoos, Summerland and Penticton. As a result over 600 vehicle drivers were checked for sobriety resulting in:

• (10) Immediate roadside prohibitions;
• (2) Prohibited drivers being removed from the road; and
• (1) Driver refusing to provide a breath sample.

BC Highway Patrol Keremeos would like to remind motorists of their responsibility to maintain safety on the roadway. If you are planning on drinking, please do not drive. By finding an alternative way home such as transit, cabs, or a designated driver you can help ensure that you, and people sharing the road with you, get to their destination safely.

Immediate roadside prohibitions are one of the tools used by police to remove impaired drivers off British Columbia’s roadways and keep our roads and communities safe. The immediate roadside prohibitions that were issued ranged from 3 days to 90 days depending on blood alcohol concentration, and were accompanied by vehicle impoundments.

Our BC Highway Patrol teams across the Okanagan will continue to focus on drivers impaired by alcohol and drugs through the summer season to reduce the serious injury and fatal collisions on our highways. says Inspector Rob Nason, officer in charge of BCHP Central Drinking and driving has devastating effects on all of us. People who drive while impaired can lose their privilege to drive, they may be involved in collisions with life altering outcomes and it can result in taking the lives of our friends, families and community members.

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Email: chad.badry@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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