BC Highway Patrol removes over 600 drivers during the 2025 Summer Impaired Driving Campaign

By BC Highway Patrol

From June 15 to August 31, BC Highway Patrol took 626 impaired drivers off the road.

The results of the Summer Impaired Driving Campaign show that impaired driving is an issue everywhere, and it’s a particular problem in the north and central BC.

“This year’s Summer Impaired Driving Campaign is a graphic illustration of why we all need to do better staying sober while driving,” said Superintendent Mike Coyle, Operations Officer of BC Highway Patrol. “Impaired driving is the leading cause of criminal death in BC. It’s simply unacceptable to think that it’s OK to drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs.”

Considering the smaller population, northern B.C. continues to have the highest total of driving prohibitions, criminal charges, and drug prohibitions:

• Northern B.C.: 146 (11 were detected impaired by drugs)[;
• Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky, and eastern Fraser Valley: 150;
• Vancouver Island: 131 (15 were detected impaired by drugs);
• Central BC: 111;
• Kootenay region: 88 (31 were detected impaired by drugs).

“Drug-impaired driving is a particular issue in the Kootenays, though it’s an increasing problem everywhere with serious and fatal collisions,” said Superintendent Coyle. “We need people, especially in rural areas of BC, to be more serious about staying sober.”

Throughout the province, BC Highway Patrol has been expanding the application of Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS). MAS allows police officers to demand an immediate breath sample, under section 320.27(2) of the Canadian Criminal Code, from any driver who is lawfully stopped. There is no longer any need to develop a reasonable suspicion that a driver has alcohol in their system, and the entire process can be done in less than two minutes.

Drivers who refuse the breath demand are committing a criminal offence that leads to penalties similar to impaired driving charges.

The purpose of MAS is:

• To stop drivers who choose to drive while impaired. Everyone needs to know that police can test any driver during any traffic stop;
• To detect impaired drivers who do not show obvious signs of intoxication;
• To reduce alcohol-related crashes, injuries and deaths. In other words, to keep you and your loved ones safe on our roads.

On Vancouver Island, MAS was used extensively during the August concert season. In the East Kootenay, BC Highway Patrol used MAS to check more than 1,500 drivers for alcohol impairment during the Summer Impaired Driving Campaign.

To illustrate an alarming trend in impaired driving, consider the investigation from August 1 on Highway 93 in Kootenay National Park. A green Jaguar was clocked doing 153 km/h in a 90 zone. The driver, who did not look outwardly intoxicated, was read the MAS demand. He blew a warn and received:

• A three-day driving suspension;
• An excessive speeding ticket under section 148(1) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) for a fine of $368;
• A seven-day vehicle impound at his expense;
• At least three years of high-risk driving premiums that will push the total cost of fines and fees to almost $2,500.

During the summer, BC Highway Patrol has stopped multiple drivers for speeding only to discover they were also impaired. Speeding and impaired driving are consistently two of the three most significant contributors to fatal collisions in B.C. (distracted driving is the third).

BC Highway Patrol photos

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