Labour day and back to school means added police patrols

Members of the Merritt RCMP will be out in full force this Labour Day weekend looking for impaired drivers.

“We are going to be looking for speeders, for people drinking and driving, smoking and driving. The fines can range from an immediate road side prohibition, which is motor vehicle act, or it can go criminal code for impaired driving,” said Roda.

According to ICBC, despite having some of the toughest impaired driving laws in the country 67 people die in crashes involving impaired driving. Almost half of those deaths happen during the summer or around holiday weekends.

Roda reminded party-goers to plan ahead. Leave your car overnight and consider taking a taxi, transit, using a ride-hailing service, or calling a friend.

He added that when you drink and drive, you not only risk your life but those of others on the road. With so many options to get home safely, there is no excuse to drive while impaired.

As students get set to head back to class next week, members of the RCMP are once again reminding motorists to slow down during school zones.

Sgt. Josh Roda of the Merritt detachment told Q101 News that the speed limit in school zones is 30 km/h and motorists should be on alert.

“We just want people to keep in mind that kids use the playgrounds outside of school times as well. There are places that have playground zones that are from dawn to dusk but we just encourage people to dry slow when they are around the schools,” said Roda.

Roda said the school buses in the city are equipped with cameras that can help track down those who do not stop when the bus has its stop sign out. Roda reiterated that motorists could face a steep fine and the loss of demerit points.