A B.C. Highway Patrol officer recently stopped a “zoned out” driver, who allegedly had her eyes closed and arms crossed while on Highway 1 in Coquitlam during rush hour.
An officer pulled up beside an electric car on March 17 at about 8:30 a.m. during the morning rush hour and noticed the driver allegedly had her eyes closed and arms crossed while on the eastbound lanes of Highway 1 in slippery, rainy conditions.
“The driver appeared to be literally asleep at the wheel,” Cpl. Michael McLaughlin with B.C. Highway Patrol said. “The driver said that she had ‘zoned out’ but was fully alert with her hands on the steering wheel. In-car police video did not support the driver’s claim.”
McLaughlin said that while some electric vehicles have a self-driving mode, those systems are not legal to use in B.C.
“You need to be fully awake, alert, focused, and in control of your vehicle at all times.”
The driver, a 37-year-old Metro Vancouver woman, was issued a ticket for driving without due care and attention and speeding against a highway sign. The fines cost $368 and $138, respectively.