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SIDC issues fewer driver prohibitions
By BC Highway Patrol (BCHP)
At first glance, B.C. drivers are doing a much better job of driving sober during the Summer Impaired Driver Campaign (SIDC).
The 2026 SIDC saw significantly fewer impaired driving prohibitions (229) compared to the 2025 campaign (626), but temporary staffing redeployments and a much shorter campaign were significant factors.
“This year’s Summer Impaired Driving Campaign was only six weeks compared to 10 weeks last year,” said Superintendent Lori Orstad with BC Highway Patrol. “Our officers did notice improvements in some of our usual check stops in 2026, but we are intercepting far too many people who choose to drive while impaired.”
This year’s SIDC ran from June 15 to July 31, 2026:
| BC Highway Patrol enforcement for the 2026 Summer Impaired Driving Campaign** | ||
| Region (2026) | All impaired driving prohibitions | Drug prohibitions |
| Northern BC (including most communities north of 100 Mile House) | 58 | 3 |
| Central BC (including Merritt, Kelowna, Kamloops, Clearwater) | 24 | 1 |
| Kootenay region (including Revelstoke, Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden) | 13 | 2 |
| Vancouver Island | 32 | 4 |
| South Coast (including Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky, Sunshine Coast, the Fraser Valley) | 97 | 8 |
| Special Traffic Operations (throughout BC) | 5 | |
| Total | 229 | 18 |
**Investigations and statistic collection are ongoing and numbers may vary over time.
The 2025 SIDC was significantly longer (June 15 to August 31, 2025).
BC Highway Patrol enforcement for the 2025 Summer Impaired Driving Campaign
| Region (2025) | All impaired driving prohibitions | Drug prohibitions |
| Northern BC (including most communities north of 100 Mile House) | 146 | 13 |
| Central BC (including Merritt, Kelowna, Kamloops, Clearwater) | 111 | 6 |
| Kootenay region (including Revelstoke, Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden) | 88 | 31 |
| Vancouver Island | 131 | 17 |
| South Coast (including Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky, Sunshine Coast, the Fraser Valley) | 150 | 11 |
| Special Traffic Operations (throughout BC) | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 626 | 78 |
“We are proud of BC Highway Patrol’s significant contribution to the resources of the world soccer tournament, and now that we have our resources back, we expect business as usual,” said Superintendent Orstad. “We encourage everyone to plan ahead and make sober driving decisions. Help us keep the roads safe for everyone.”
BC Highway Patrol photo
