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RCMP Takes on Speeding and Other Traffic Violations

Last week the RCMP took on speeding and other traffic violations in the area, handing out numerous tickets. Speeding was one of the top traffic violations, with distracted driving coming in second. With the harsh winter months almost here the RCMP is trying to keep the roads safe, and that means handing out traffic violations when these are spotted by officers. A total of 32 tickets for speeding were handed out just in the Gregoire Lakes Estate area, and 12 traffic violations for speeding in a school zone were also given during the week. 17 people received traffic violations for distracted driving, and 4 people were arrested for driving while impaired. The remoteness of Fort MacMurray and Wood Buffalo make the number of RCMP traffic violations troubling. When the winter weather hits the roadways will become risky due to ice and snow, and even being distracted for a few seconds or going a few miles over the speed limit will be dangerous.

Some of the RCMP arrests and traffic violations cited were somewhat unusual according to RCMP Cst. George Cameron. “This past Saturday morning around 8:00, members did a traffic stop and they got an impaired driver. They got another… impaired driver at 2:00 in the afternoon on Saturday. Those are unusual, we don’t like to see those things, but I’m glad our members were there to get these people off the road.” Usually impaired driving occurs in the evening and night hours, so having two in a row during the day is troubling. This is the period when there are many more people on the roads, and the danger of an accident with another vehicle is much higher.

RCMP Gives Out Numerous Traffic Violations in a Single Week

RCMP had a great week recently, giving out numerous traffic violations, but an incident involving the police also occurred during the same week. Many of the traffic violations were issued for exceeding the speed limit. While RCMP was engaged in a routine traffic stop the RCMP vehicle was struck and sustained around $4,000 in damage. This incident was very clearly the fault of the motorist who struck the stopped police vehicle. The accident occurred on Highway 881, and the RCMP Municipal Traffic Service vehicle was parked on the side of the highway while the officer was issuing a citation for speeding to a motorist. The emergency lights on the vehicle were activated and it was parked and stationary when hit by another vehicle.

RCMP flagged a Jeep Liberty on Highway 881 for speeding at the same time that the traffic stop was initiated, and a second RCMP vehicle was pulling over the Jeep Liberty when the driver lost control, colliding with the parked RCMP vehicle on the side of the road. The driver of the Jeep attempted to put his seat belt on before pulling over, and this distraction caused him to lose control. Luckily no one was hurt during the accident, and the police service dog who was in the parked police vehicle was uninjured as well. Other traffic violations observed and cited by RCMP during the week include street racing, and one driver was pulled over and caught with more than 3 grams of methamphetamine in their vehicle on Thursday.