There may be less traffic on the roads due to the pandemic, but that didn’t stop Richmond RCMP catching a catalogue of speeding drivers lately.
Over a seven-day period at the end of May, Richmond RCMP’s Road Safety Unit issued 138 violation tickets for speed related infractions.
This included five impoundments for excessive speeding, and one Notice of Driving Prohibition.
Considering the reduced number of vehicles travelling along the roadways, the RCMP these were “significant numbers.”
The police said they were pleased with the community’s diligence in reporting unsafe driving behaviour to them, which shows people are “as concerned (about) road safety” as they are.
Another factor which aided last month’s ticketing spree was Richmond RCMP transitioning to the electronic ticketing system, which has been adopted in many parts of B.C.
The new system increases roadside efficient “dramatically,” according to police, offering clear and concise printouts that are virtually impervious to ink smearing due to inclement weather.
“Please remember that speed is a major issue with respect to road safety which is something we all want - our roads to be safer,” said Cpl. Peter Somerville, NCO Richmond RCMP Road Safety Unit.
“eTicketing has proven to be a valuable tool for our officers as it allows us a quicker turn around when stopping offenders.
“This in turn gets motorists back on their way sooner and with less waiting. It also allows faster and easier resolutions for the motorist as eTickets can be paid online as opposed to going into a courthouse or ICBC branch office.
“This is a good thing especially right now during this Covid-19 pandemic.”
