Driver of jampacked minivan fined for speeding near Merritt; claims he was running out of gas

Police say a driver near Merritt who was fined nearly $500 for speeding claimed he was doing so because he was nearly out of gas.

At around 7:00 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 16), BC Highway Patrol says officers stopped a grey minivan that was clocked at 136 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on Highway 97C near Hamilton Hill Road.

They say the eight-seater van had nine occupants at the time it was pulled over by police.

The driver, a 36-year-old man from Edmonton, was issued $472 in tickets for speeding, allowing a passenger to be without a seatbelt and for not properly restraining a child in the vehicle.

Police also say three passengers were fined $501 – $167 each – for not wearing a seatbelt.

“We explained to the driver that speeding dramatically worsens your fuel economy,” Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said in a news release. “And sure enough, the van ran out of gas at roadside. Meanwhile, the driver could not explain why only two out of nine people were wearing seatbelts, or why a three-year-old’s car seat had no functioning buckles.”

McLaughlin says the driver also paid for a taxi to bring fuel to the van and to take away the extra passenger.

“There are many reasons to slow down. You will very likely avoid police attention, and you will be much safer,” McLaughlin added. “If you get into a collision at high speed, every person who is not wearing a seatbelt will die. You do not want that on your conscience.”