Four stops for excessive speed netted four drivers seven-day vehicle impounds, hundreds of dollars in tickets and points on their licences.
It showcases an uptick in excessive speed charges this year – with about 20 to mid-September last year and 24 to the same timeframe this year.
“As it continues to be an issue, we continue to do enforcement,” said Chief Const. Mark Fisher. “It is a significant cause for concern for residents and us, given the stopping distances involved and how far they are over the speed limit.”
The monetary deterrents are hefty, as drivers going more than 40 km/h over the posted speed limit face a $368 ticket, three penalty points on their driving record, which impacts insurance costs, and a mandatory seven-day vehicle impound where fees also accrue.
A 21 yr old male from Saanich is without a car for 7 days after being caught going 115 kph in a 40 zone in Oak Bay on Sunday evening. Hopefully the 7 day impound costs and the $483 ticket for excessive speed lead to a change in driving habits. pic.twitter.com/aNjq5gvy9k
— Oak Bay Police (@OakBayPolice) September 5, 2023
Enforcement is based on officer observations and resident complaints, but Beach Drive, Henderson Road, Foul Bay Road and Cedar Hill Cross Road continue to be areas Oak Bay police see an issue with excessive speeds.
Three of the four were sites for tickets and impounds on Sunday, Sept. 17. Shortly after midnight, during enforcement on Foul Bay Road near Fort Street, a teen driver was clocked at 104 km/h in a 50 zone and passing a vehicle on a double solid line.
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The young man was the most-ticketed driver of the day with an excessive speed ticket at $368 and crossing a double solid line that comes with $109 fine.
A second driver was stopped that evening, around 4:15 p.m. at Henderson Road near Foul Bay Road. The 41-year-old man was stopped after being clocked at 75 km/h in a 30 zone. The driver was issued a ticket for excessive speed at $368, three driver penalty points and the vehicle was towed and impounded for seven days.
Two more drivers faced similar fines that evening during enforcement near Beach Drive and Newport Avenue. At 7:15 p.m. a 23-year-old man was stopped for going 93 km/h in a 40 km/h zone and an hour later a 38-year-old man was stopped for going 118 km/h in the same 40 zone.
The four stops in one day highlight the age range of drivers.
“Some people draw the conclusion that it’s always young drivers, that isn’t the case,” Fisher said.
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