Almost 200 impaired drivers were caught in this year’s Light Up the Province impaired driving enforcement night, and officers heard some crazy excuses, including one from a driver who was barking up the wrong tree.
While 200 impaired drivers in one night is still too many people choosing to drive while impaired, it’s slightly less than last year (222), even though more vehicles were checked in 2025 (52,091) than in 2024 (43,713).
“Most drivers are supportive of police efforts to keep impaired drivers off the road, even though check stops can be an inconvenience,” says Insp. Adam Tallboy with BC Highway Patrol (BCHP). “Mandatory Alcohol Screening continues to be a great tool, as multiple impaired drivers were pulled off the road even though they did not show any symptoms until they were breath tested.”
Here is the breakdown of enforcement from BC Highway Patrol and partner police agencies that worked Light Up the Province on Dec. 6:
Northern B.C. (including most communities north of 100 Mile House): 400 vehicles checked, 21 prohibitions and 70 tickets issued at six check stops
Central B.C. (including Kamloops, Merritt, Kelowna, and Clearwater): 3,213 vehicles checked, 23 prohibitions and 76 tickets issued at 10 check stops
Kootenay region (including Revelstoke, Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden): 1,791 vehicles checked, 17 prohibitions and 30 tickets issued at 15 check stops
Vancouver Island: 13,500 vehicles checked, 18 prohibitions and 112 tickets issued at 16 check stops
South Coast (including Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky country, Fraser Valley): 33,187 vehicles checked, 190 prohibitions and 662 tickets issued at 74 check stops
At the launch event on Highway #17 in Surrey, Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) officers and BC Highway Patrol officers found 93 defects in 28 commercial vehicles, including nine trucks that were taken out of service. One driver was charged with Criminal Code impaired driving.
BCHP hears some interesting excuses during traffic stops. This year’s craziest excuse happened on the Sea to Sky Highway (Highway #99) when, just after 6 p.m. on Dec. 6, a BCHP officer stopped a Richmond woman whose car was clocked going 110 km/h in a 60 zone in Lions Bay. The 23-year-old driver said she was speeding because her two-year-old son was home alone and might have needed to go to hospital.
Using her radio, the officer contacted Richmond RCMP, who breached the door to the woman’s apartment to make sure that the boy was safe. When the driver heard that the police had not found any humans inside the residence, she admitted that her “son” was actually a dog who was in good health.
The Richmond woman received a ticket for excessive speeding ($483), her car was impounded, and she had to pay for a taxi home. Later that same evening the driver sent the RCMP an apology email for “panicking” and making a “poor decision.”
“We appreciate when people take responsibility for their actions,” says Tallboy. “But the best outcome is for you to drive sober and within the speed limit, leave plenty of time for adverse winter driving conditions, and get to your Christmas destination safely without any costly fines.”
BC Highway Patrol would like to thank the many municipal police agencies, volunteers, and provincial partners who provided people and resources for Light Up the Province. Their united efforts will continue to keep the roads safe throughout December during the Winter Impaired Driving Campaign.