Spike of Impaired Driving in Revelstoke

Revelstoke – Due to the sheer volume of impaired driving incidents in Revelstoke over the past two months, the Revelstoke RCMP are sharing the following information with the community.

From January 1 to February 28, 2020 there were 42 impaired driving investigations conducted by Revelstoke RCMP General Duty Police Officers. During that same period, the Trans Canada East Traffic Services (TCETS) and Integrated Road Safety Unit (IRSU) also conducted 6 additional impaired investigations including both the municipality and the area from the Perry River Bridge to the west, Rogers Pass to the east, and Highway 23 north and south. In 2019 there were a total of 132 impaired investigations within the city of Revelstoke. For the same period of January and February 2019, there were only 24 impaired investigation by Revelstoke GD and 7 by TCETS and IRSU.

An impaired investigation can be due to the influence of drugs, alcohol, or a combination. As a result of the police conducting an impaired driving investigation, a police officer can provide a 24 hour driving prohibition, a three day Immediate Roadside Prohibition (IRP), a 30 day IRP, or a 90 day IRP. Each is dependent on the severity of the impairment and any past driving history included impaired driving. In each case the vehicle will be towed at the cost of the driver may be impounded for 30 days.

In regards to other driving enforcement, the RCMP General Duty police officers, TCETS and IRSU officers issued over 550 violation tickets in January and February 2020. For the same time period in 2019, there were only 350 tickets issued.

The chaotic winter of highway closures due to avalanches, fatalities and serious collisions is only one of the factors in the increase in Motor Vehicle Act violation tickets. The Revelstoke RCMP encourages the motoring public to drive according to the rules of the road and to the constantly changing driving conditions.

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