Two drivers caught going more than double the speed limit on Burnaby Mountain last weekend are part of an alarming uptick in excessive speeding police have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The total number of drivers caught speeding in Burnaby over the last two months has not changed dramatically when compared to the same time last year – but the number of drivers caught speeding excessively has more than doubled.
Burnaby RCMP caught a total of 215 speeders this past March and April, compared to 213 during the same time period last year.
But the number of excessive speeders, drivers caught going more than 40 km/hr over the speed limit, jumped to 21 this year from just eight last year.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in less cars and more families on our roads, which means we have to be extra cautious when driving,” Burnaby RCMP Cpl. Mike Kalanj said in a press release. “What we’re asking is pretty simple, stay within the speed limit and let’s make sure everyone makes it home safe.”
An average of 92 people are killed in speed-related crashes in B.C. every year, according to ICBC, including about 26 in the Lower Mainland.
For more information about speeding, including the consequences of getting caught, visit tinyurl.com/ICBCspeed.
