Burnaby RCMP reports increase in reckless driving

Burnaby RCMP is seeing an increase in excessive speeding in Burnaby and is reminding the public to exercise extra caution as the days get shorter and darker, and as winter weather conditions take hold.

“Driving at such a high speed creates a major safety hazard for all road users,” said Cpl. Eduardo Faustino, with Burnaby RCMP Traffic Services in an official press release. “This type of driving behaviour is not acceptable.”

In 2021, Burnaby City Council approved a transportation plan that aims to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries to zero. The city aims to achieve this target, known as “Vision Zero” by 2050. However, according to ICBC, 16,280 crashes occurred in Burnaby in 2022 alone, for a variety of reasons including speeding. In 2022, 147 crashes involved pedestrians, 87 involved cyclists, and 79 involved motorcyclists.

Burnaby RCMP reported an increase in the number of speeding tickets issued from August to September of this year. In August, RCMP officers issued 17 speeding tickets, while in September they issued 89 speeding tickets.

In its press release, Burnaby RCMP reported that on Oct. 21, while conducting speed enforcement, an officer stopped a motorcyclist on Gaglardi Way, travelling at 127 km/h, almost twice as fast as the posted limit. The officer issued a ticket for the motorcyclist and impounded the motorcycle for seven days.

Studies show that reducing speed limits and asking the public to exercise caution may not be the most effective strategies for speed reduction. According to a BC Government Community Road Safety Toolkit, “In the absence of added enforcement, some drivers may not reduce their speeds following speed reductions. More consistent speed reductions can be achieved through applying physical speed reduction countermeasures, such as the ones found in this toolkit, including chicanes, speed humps, and narrowed lanes and roads. This measure may also be combined with speed reader boards to improve compliance with speed limits.”

This piece was made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.

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