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RCMP nab 32 impaired drivers on Vancouver Island's highways during summer campaign
B.C. Highway Patrol says the six-week campaign removed 229 impaired drivers provincewide, with 36 offences recorded at Sunfest.
RCMP officers apprehended 32 drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs on Vancouver Island during the Summer Impaired Driving Campaign, which ran for six weeks from June 15 to July 31.
Superintendent Lori Orstad with Highway Patrol attributed lower enforcement numbers to the campaign lasting six weeks compared to 10 weeks last year, plus temporary staffing redeployments for the FIFA World Cup held in Vancouver.
Sunfest Country Music Festival in the Cowichan Valley recorded a peak of 36 impaired-driving offences. Gary from the RCMP noted that drug impairment from mushrooms and marijuana gummies is an increasing problem.
Across the province, 229 impaired drivers were taken off the road, though police cautioned against direct comparison to prior years due to campaign duration differences. Staffing levels have returned to normal.
Police continue urging the public to plan ahead and make sober-driving decisions. Superintendent Lori Orstad stated, "Help us keep the roads safe for everyone," emphasizing ongoing RCMP commitment to reducing impaired driving.