Less traffic yields more speeders

Despite the slowed-down world created by the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of people are in a rush.

At least, that’s what Saanich police have been seeing on municipal roadways, where a glut of tickets has been issued to drivers going more than 40 kilometres an hour over the speed limit.

“We’ve had 14 in the last seven days,” said Const. Markus Anastasiades.

Going that fast is considered “excessive” speed, which means a seven-day impoundment of your vehicle and a fine of at least $368.

At a Wednesday-night traffic stop, a motorcyclist on the Patricia Bay Highway was clocked at 131 km/h in an 80 zone, Anastasiades said. He also didn’t have a licence. Saanich police have joined with ICBC in an effort to educate the public this month during the provincial High Risk Driving Campaign. They were at a speed check Thursday on the highway.

“We’re doing a couple of weeks in Saanich because they’ve got so much highway space,” said ICBC regional road-safety co-ordinator Colleen Woodger.

Along with that, most highway on- and off-ramps are high-crash zones, she said.

Woodger said that the West Shore and Sooke are the next areas where the campaign will be active.

She said ICBC has heard the reports from Saanich and other departments about higher speeds being seen recently.

“COVID-19 has had an impact obviously on the volume on the roads, so it’s tempted some motorists to go a little bit faster,” she said.

“What we’re seeing is sometimes we need to remind people that the faster you go, the less time you have to react.”

The public wants to see steps taken to slow traffic down, Anastasiades said.

“We’re constantly, every day getting messaging from our residents in Saanich of wanting police to do more about speeding vehicles.”

He said it’s not just highways that raise concerns, but busy roads such as McKenzie Avenue and Shelbourne Street.

“The potential for injury from speeding is quite obvious,” Anastasiades said.

“The faster you go, the harder you hit.”

He also cautioned drivers to be on the lookout for an increased number of motorcycles on the road now as a result of spring weather.