Golden-Field RCMP impounded a driver’s car after he was caught driving at 174km/hr in an area with a 90km/hr speed limit —more than 80km/h above the posted speed limit.
Under B.C.’s Motor Vehicle Act driving “on a highway at a speed greater than 40km/h over the applicable speed limit” is considered excessive speeding.
According to the Golden-Field RCMP, the driver of the vehicle was headed home after picking up his car which was just impounded earlier this month, also for excessive speeding.
The driver’s vehicle will now be impounded for 30 days as this is the driver’s second offence in two years.
A first offence for excessive speeding can result in a seven-day impound. The third offence (and every offence thereafter) within a two-year span results in a 60-day impound.
When cars are impounded, the driver is responsible for all towing and storage costs, in addition to any fines they face.
Excessive speeding in B.C. has two levels of fines with the amount increasing as the offence becomes more egregious.
Driving more than 40km/h above the speed limit has a $368 fine and results in three penalty points being added to one’s driving record.
Similarly, driving more than 60km/h above the speed limit also results in three penalty points being added to one’s driving record, but the fine is higher, at $483.
In a social media post about the incident shared by the Golden-Field RCMP, one commenter said the fine and penalty points were “not enough.” Others argued that the driver should have lost his license.
Under the Criminal Code of Canada driving license suspensions can last one year, three years, or indefinitely.
Criminal Code offences related to driving include driving while prohibited, engaging in a police pursuit, impaired driving and criminal negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle, among others.
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