New rider clocked at 223 km/h, double the speed limit, on a snowy British Columbia pass

BC Interior RCMP, out in force during the weekend’s first snowfall to enforce safe driving, issued a storm of tickets and warnings.

On Monday afternoon, a highway patrol officer on the Okanagan Highway 97C connector clocked a car traveling 223 km/h near the top of Pennask, more than double the posted speed limit of 110 km/h .

« At this speed, it doesn’t matter what vehicle you’re driving. You won’t survive a collision. It’s as simple as that, » said the RCMP Highway Patrol constable. James Ward told CBC News.

Temperatures hovered around freezing and snow had accumulated along the median on a highway known to create icing hazards.

Ward says the driver of the Hyundai Veloster told officers present he hadn’t realized he was driving so fast.

He was also a novice driver.

« The driver was identified as a young male born in 2001. He was a Class 7 [licence] driver. It was also discovered that he did not have his ‘N’ sticker displayed on the vehicle, » Ward said.

Ward says when asked for his license and registration, the man opened the glove compartment and what appeared to be a handgun fell out. Upon subsequent inspection, the item was identified as a replica Airsoft gun, legal in Canada.

“Fortunately, all occupants of the vehicle obeyed the officers’ orders,” Ward said.

« This is not a good place to store an Airsoft gun. This begs the question: what are your intentions? Why do you even have it there? »

Officers in attendance issued a $483 speeding ticket and a $109 ticket for failing to display an « N » sticker. The vehicle was impounded for seven days, which is mandatory for anyone speeding more than 45 km/h over the posted limit. The driver will also face $500 impound fees and dramatic increases in his ICBC insurance rates.

Ward says criminal charges of dangerous driving are not being considered because there was no other traffic on the freeway at the time, so the driver did not endanger other people .

In another enforcement blitz this weekend, West Kelowna RCMP issued 50 tickets and 46 other warnings, mostly for speeding in construction zones.

Sixty-seven drivers, including 14 commercial vehicles, were cited for driving with inappropriate tires. Snow-rated tires are mandatory on BC mountain passes during the winter months, subject to a $121 fine.

The RCMP is urging all drivers to slow down during the season and drive according to the conditions.

On average, 36 people are killed each year in British Columbia in crashes where people drive too fast for road conditions.