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We still have a problem slowing down in bad weather
By BC Highway Patrol
The 2026 Drive Relative to Conditions month saw almost 1,200 tickets less than last year’s campaign, but BC Highway Patrol has released a video of a traffic stop that shows how much B.C. drivers are still reluctant to slow down in adverse conditions.
October is the annual Drive Relative to Conditions campaign in B.C., and this year’s numbers show a reduction in tickets written (by BC Highway Patrol) across the province:
Drive Relative to Conditions 2025 and 2026
| Region | 2025 Tickets | 2026 Tickets |
| Northern BC (including most communities north of 100 Mile House) | 1,486 | 1,333 |
| Central BC (including Merritt, Kelowna, Kamloops, Clearwater) | 1,443 | 1,376 |
| Kootenay region (including Revelstoke, Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden) | 1,171 | 838 |
| Vancouver Island | 1,598 | 1,315 |
| South Coast (including Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky country, the Fraser Valley) | 2,167 | 1,794 |
| Special Traffic Operations (units working outside of a defined jurisdiction) | 23 | 39 |
| Total number of tickets | 7,888 | 6,695 |
A drop in staffing levels appears to be one of the reasons for this year’s lower enforcement numbers, but a video of a large pickup that was stopped near Merritt shows that dangerous driving in poor conditions is still a problem.
On October 25, 2026, on Highway 97C, a BC Highway Patrol officer was patrolling in wet snow and rain when a dark F-350 pickup emerged from the fog. Police got a radar reading of 166 km/h in a 110 zone. After the truck was stopped, police records also showed that the truck had not been inspected for mechanical modifications and defects after a prior police Notice and Order in August 2026.
The 28-year-old Abbotsford driver was issued:
A seven-day impound for excessive speeding (with the tow and impound at the owner’s expense);
A ticket for excessive speed (between 41 and 60 km/h over), section 148(1) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act, with a fine of $368;
A ticket for fail to comply with order, section 25.30(4) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations, ($598);
A Notice and Order requiring that the truck immediately have its insurance suspended until all mechanical defects are fixed and inspected.
The total fines, repairs, and at least three years of high-risk driver premiums and escalating insurance, will bring the estimated total costs to over $4,000.
“We ask all drivers to understand that posted speed limits are created for ideal, dry, clear, daytime conditions,” says Superintendent Lori Orstad with BC Highway Patrol. “Safe driving always starts with staying sober and alert, but you also need to slow down for poor weather, darkness, or heavy traffic – exactly the sort of conditions we see more in fall and winter.”
Pedestrians and other vulnerable road users are also encouraged put their phones away and be alert. Wearing brighter clothing with reflective piping, and obeying traffic lights and crosswalk rules, may be the difference to keep you and your loved ones alive and well.
Lead image: A police dash camera video still shows a large pickup truck emerging from a fogbank on Highway 97C. BC Highway Patrol photo
