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Police ticket 400 on weekend

Once again, drivers in the Bow Valley area proved highway speed limits have little meaning for them.

Once again, drivers in the Bow Valley area proved highway speed limits have little meaning for them.

Members of the Bow Valley Integrated Traffic Unit (BVITU), in partnership with the Bow Valley Roving Traffic Unit and the Lake Louise RCMP detachment, conducted a three-day speed enforcement blitz on the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 93 North (Aug. 11-13). Over 400 speeding charges were laid.

Among the speeders was a B.C. resident who faces a criminal charge of dangerous driving, as well charges of speeding and careless driving after a member of the BVITU clocked him travelling 191 km/h on the Trans-Canada.

Earlier in the weekend, an Alberta motorist was charged with speeding and careless driving after he was initially found travelling 136 km/h in a 90 km/h speed zone. When the member of the BVITU caught up with this male, the member found that he had increased his speed to 168 km/h before being stopped and charged.

Four other motorists were found driving between 60 and 69 km/h over the speed limit, with an additional three travelling between 50 and 59 km/h over the speed limit.

On Highway 93 North, members of the BVITU stopped motorists who were travelling well over the speed limit. Two were found travelling 60 and 66 km/h over the speed limit. In addition, more than a dozen were traveling 50 to 59 km/h over the speed limit.

One notable speeder was a young Alberta female who was stopped by a member of the BVITU travelling 120 km/h in a 90 km/h speed zone. Less than 20 minutes later, she was stopped again for speeding, this time at 140 km/h. The two stops resulted in fines of $528 and seven demerit points.

RCMP point out that travelling at these speeds on this highway is of particular concern. The highways are primarily travelled by tourists and wildlife is frequently seen near or crossing the highway. As a result, animal jams are frequent.

Travelling at high speeds could be disastrous when encountering an animal jam in a curve or crest of a hill. The excitement of seeing a bear sometimes results in bear jams forming in areas where the sight lines are poor. Travelling 50 to 66 km/h over the speed limit does not allow a driver any opportunity to avoid running into vehicles and people at a bear jam.

The Bow Valley Integrated Traffic Unit will conduct aggressive speed enforcement throughout the summer season.


Rocky Mountain Outlook

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