On January 30, 2012, members of the West Vancouver Police Department seized four vehicles in three separate Excessive Speeding investigations on the Trans Canada Highway. 

 The first incident occurred at approximately 1:00 pm when the West Vancouver Police stopped two vehicles, who appeared to be street racing in the 800-block of the Trans Canada Highway, travelling at a speed of approximately 145 km/h in a posted 90 km/h zone. Two 19-year-old male drivers from Squamish were issued violation tickets for Excessive Speeding under the Motor Vehicle Act, Section 148(1).  The two vehicles involved, a 2011 Mercedes B200 and a 2000 Honda Civic, were impounded for seven days by Mitchell’s Towing. As part of the British Columbia graduated licensing program, one of the drivers was in possession of a class 7 (New Driver) driver’s license and is required to display an “N” on his vehicle at all times.   

 

The second incident occurred at approximately 6:00 pm when a 65-year-old North Vancouver resident, driving a 2008 BMW 335, passed an unmarked West Vancouver Police vehicle travelling on Highway 99 at Ansell Place. The speeding vehicle was travelling at approximately 130 km/h in a posted 80 km/h zone. The driver was issued a violation ticket and the vehicle was impounded by Mitchell’s Towing for a 7-day vehicle impound.

The third incident occurred at approximately 9:30 pm when another 19-year-old male from Squamish was charged with Excessive Speeding. He was driving a black 2004 Acura when he passed an unmarked West Vancouver Police vehicle. The speeding vehicle was travelling eastbound on the Trans Canada Highway at approximately 160 km/hr in a posted 90 km/h zone. The vehicle was stopped near the Westmount on-ramp to the Trans Canada Highway and the driver was issued a violation ticket with the attached $368 fine. The vehicle was impounded by Mitchell’s Towing for a 7-day vehicle impound. Ironically, the driver of this vehicle is friends with the two previously charged males from Squamish.

The West Vancouver Police continue to focus their attention on high risk drivers. A significant component of the West Vancouver Police 2011-2013 Strategic Plan is to reduce accidents involving high risk drivers in high crash locations. Corporal Grant Gottgetreu of the West Vancouver Police Traffic Section said, “What we, the West Vancouver Police, are concerned with is the continual disregard of safe driving on our roads.  We take all such incidents seriously and will continue to pursue high risk drivers throughout the District of West Vancouver.”

Documentation of the three separate incidents has been forwarded to the Superintendant of Motor Vehicles who has the right to review and suspend driving privileges.