VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – With more kids playing outside in driveways, alleys and laneways during the COVID-19 pandemic, drivers are being reminded to slow down and watch out.

A survey for BCAA finds about half of us have noticed more children playing in different areas and many believe speeding and bad driving have also increased.

The Insights West poll finds 52 per cent of British Columbians are seeing more kids playing outside. Bike riding is also up, with 56 per cent noticing more kids riding around residential streets.

Nearly half of respondents say they have also witnessed excessive speeding, along with increased speeds in residential areas, with more than four-in-10 saying they’d seen drivers not obeying stop signs in school zones, many of which are in residential areas where kids play.

“We’ve heard challenges around where kids can play safely, and I’ve definitely noticed more kids playing around my own neighbourhood,” says Shawn Pettipas, BCAA’s Director of Community Engagement.

“Speeding cars, increasing traffic and more kids playing close to home at all times of the day could be a recipe for disaster.”

Pettipas implores drivers to slow down and drive safely and be aware that kids are playing close to home and can dart out from anywhere at anytime.

BCAA is asking parents to talk to their kids about not playing on or near the road, to supervise bike riding and to encourage kids to wear bright clothing and to always watch for cars.

It is also offering free “Slow Down Kids Playing” reflective lawn signs to anyone who wants one.

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Vancouver Police are saying they’re glad nobody was hurt when a reckless driver sped through Dude Chilling Park, nearly hitting people.

Sgt. Aaron Roed tells NEWS 1130 the multiple people who called police did the right thing by contacting the VPD.

“The vehicle generated multiple calls to eComm and notifying the VPD,” he says.

Roed adds this incident is related to an impaired driving investigation with one person who has been arrested.

Luckily, none of the visitors strolling and relaxing in the park at the time were injured.

COQUITLAM (NEWS 1130) — Coquitlam RCMP is warning drivers they can still get a ticket for speeding, even if it’s the car doing most of the work.

A tweet from the Coquitlam Police Department Tuesday shows a Tesla being towed away after the driver was caught going 113 kph in a 50 zone.

According to the tweet, the driver said, “I wasn’t driving!’, and that the car was in autopilot.

The Coquitlam RCMP say that’s no excuse, tweeting out, “Tesla towed, batteries not included.”

"But I wasn't driving, sir!'
Autopilot is not an excuse to drive 113 kph in a 50 zone.
Tesla towed, batteries not included. #SpeedingTicket #DriveSafe pic.twitter.com/EEoqrsNhE1

— CQ RCMP (@cqrcmp) August 4, 2020

COQUITLAM (NEWS 1130) — A serious crash in Coquitlam Sunday morning that sent a family of five — including three children — to hospital was apparently caused by a speeding driver evading a traffic stop.

The province’s police watchdog is providing more details about — and appealing for witnesses to — the crash on the Brunette overpass around 9 a.m.

“An officer was conducting radar speed detection on Highway 1 eastbound near Government Street when they observed a grey Dodge Charger allegedly speeding and attempted to conduct a traffic stop,” reads a release from the Independent Investigations Office.

“The vehicle did not stop and exited the highway at Brunette Avenue, where it collided with another vehicle.”

The driver of the Charger, and the two adults and three children who were in the other vehicle, were taken to the hospital. All have serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

@iiobc is investigating a motor vehicle incident in Coquitlam https://t.co/h1YegyktmQ

— IIOBC (@iiobc) December 27, 2020

The Independent Investigations Office is asking anyone who saw, recorded, or otherwise witnessed the crash to contact them by calling 1-855-446-8477 or by using the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.

The IIO is called in whenever an “officer-related incident” results in serious injury or death.

– With files from Nikitha Martins

DELTA (NEWS 1130) – Officers in Delta caught a series of lead-footed drivers at the bottom of the hill on 72nd Avenue Thursday, handing out dozens of tickets.

According to Delta Police, about 50 citations were issued, some of them for excessive speeding.

Today we headed to the bottom of 72nd Ave to deal with speeding vehicles down the hill. Approx. 50 violation tickets were served, including several excessive speed. One driver who was speeding excessively requested that we hurry, as she was on her way to take her driver’s test. pic.twitter.com/fjoaDYxRT9

— Delta Police Traffic Unit (@DPDTraffic) January 21, 2021

The department says one driver who was caught speeding “asked that we hurry” with issuing the ticket, “as she was on her way to take her driver’s test.”

The section at the bottom of 72nd Avenue toward Highway 91 is notorious for speeding and is often an area police target for enforcement.

BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – It will soon be against the law to drive faster than 30km/h in Burnaby school zones well into the evening.

The City is expanding the hours school zone speed limits are in effect by six hours. They will be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays when school is in session.

The current hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

About 600 signs will be replaced this month to reflect the expanded hours.

According to the City, reducing speeds to 30km/h “dramatically enhances safety by reducing the likelihood and severity of a crash.”

In the coming weeks, you can expect Mounties to educate and give warnings to drivers who may not yet be aware of the expanded hours. But starting next month, officers will start issuing tickets.

Crews will also start installing speed humps near more than 70 schools and parks. That work is expected to get underway later this year, with the City planning to have about 200 in place by 2026.

Related article: Speed limit in Vancouver school, playground zones 30 km/h around the clock

The City says this move is “intended to better reflect when students are likely to be near schools for extracurricular activities and speed humps are a proven tool to reduce traffic speeds.”

The chair of the Burnaby Board of Education is backing the changes, saying they will make roads safer where kids learn and play.

“It also recognizes that schools are the heart of a community, and our buildings and grounds are used earlier in the morning and into the evening for classes and activities,” Jen Mezei said.

Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley says it’s about protecting kids.

“As Burnaby moves to make streets safer for students and families, we also encourage the Provincial government to consider a B.C.-wide approach to traffic calming measures around parks and school zones,” Hurley said.

RICHMOND (NEWS 1130) — A mother in Richmond says her young son is lucky to not have been seriously injured, after a car sped through a three-way stop on Friday, clipping the 10-year-old and their dog as they were crossing the street.

Natascha says her son only has a broken toe and some bruising on his foot, and their dog has an injured paw, which will heal over time, but she wants safety improvements to be carried out where the incident took place.

“Thankfully, that’s the extent to their injuries. But it was a hit and run — the car did not stop,” she says. “He was in shock, and so was the dog, understandably. But thankfully, they are doing better.”

She says it happened in the intersection of Westminster Highway and Barnard Drive, telling NEWS1130, she’s seen many vehicles speed through the area.

“There are cars whipping through that area because they’re coming off Westminster highway and turning off into the residential area and not slowing down,” she says. “And it’s right past a school as well, and they’re still going quite above the speed limit.”

She wants more to be done to control traffic in the area.

She’s reported the incident to the RCMP.

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A video posted on social media seems to show a couple of street racers in Vancouver going more than triple the speed limit along Fraser Street, weaving through traffic, swerving into the oncoming lane, and past people on the sidewalk near 49th Avenue in Vancouver.

The short clip apparently shows the driver of a Tesla push their vehicle to 172 kilometres an hour in less than 15 seconds, as the driver of a Toyota Supra roars along beside them.

The extreme speed and reckless driving has caught the attention of police, with VPD Traffic Sergeant Mark Christensen reposting the video Thursday night along with a warning.

“When you post this to social media… going 170 kmh in Vancouver, I will guarantee you that one of your ‘friends’ will rat you out! We have identified the Tesla…working on Supra, you can expect a visit from us in the near future!” he writes.

When you post this to social media… going 170 kmh in Vancouver, I will guarantee you that one of your “friends” will rat you out! We have identified the Tesla…working on Supra, you can expect a visit from us in the near future! @VancouverPD @ChiefPalmer @VPDTrafficUnit pic.twitter.com/wPr7CW3oP3

— Sgt Mark Christensen (@baldguy1363) June 1, 2021

It’s not clear when the video was recorded, but it appears to be at dusk under clear skies.

By Friday morning, there were dozens of replies to the sergeant’s tweet, most people angry at the drivers for their reckless behaviour on a city street.

Some have called for various punishments.

“The law’s (sic) need to be changed,” writes one person, adding the drivers should lose their licenses for three to five years, and work those timelines down by volunteering.

The law's need to be changed, I think they should loose their license for 3 to 5 yrs. (They can work it down volunteering at grief counseling centers or hospitals or something…and those Cars.. permanently seized!

— David Caister (@CaisterDavid) June 1, 2021

Others talk about the severe consequences the reckless driving could have resulted in, saying others could be seriously hurt by such behaviour.

Imagine if a pedestrian walked out at a cross walk a few blocks away thinking it is safe only to be hit by one of these monsters or someone gets out of a parked car.

— The Movie Project (@TheMovieProjec1) June 1, 2021

A young man has been given a dual lesson in the dangers of speeding, after being busted in the Valley Sunday morning.

Abbotsford Police say the 20-year-old driver was clocked by an unmarked police vehicle doing speeds in excess of over 200-kilometers per-hour along Highway 1 at Sumas Way.

He was going so fast, in fact, that his engine blew.

At 2:40 am today, this 20-year old N driver passed an unmarked police vehicle at speeds over 200 km/hr on Hwy #1 at Sumas Way. The car was going so fast that the engine blew. Driver charged with excessive speed, driving without consideration & failing to display his N. Car Seized pic.twitter.com/KSdJlITV0a

— Abbotsford Police Department (@AbbyPoliceDept) January 23, 2022

The driver was cooperative, unimpaired, and had no previous interactions with the police.

“When asked why he was travelling at this speed, the driver responded he wanted to see how fast the car could go,” said the Abbotsford Police Department.

“Of note, the vehicle he was operating was his mother’s.”

Abbotsford Police say the driver has been hit with speeding charges — on top of a fine for not displaying his “N” on the back of the car.

He was fined $483 for excessive speed, $196 for driving without consideration, and $109 for failing to displace his N. He will also receive nine points on his license.

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“The Superintendent of Motor Vehicles reviews all violations and will decide if further enforcement action will be taken (Example licence suspension). Given that the driver is a new driver, this is a probable outcome,” police said.

“We continue to conduct enforcement action where necessary to ensure that we all get home safely each and everyday. In today’s case, this driver made some incredibly poor choices that put other motorists and himself at risk.”

That vehicle, while heavily damaged, has also been impounded.

A man in Surrey says his car was taken away and his license was suspended after he wasn’t able to take a breathalyzer due to the effects of a past stroke.

Sukhwinder Singh Gill says he was pulled over for speeding in late January. He says after he handed over his license and registration, the officer asked him to do the test to see whether or not he was impaired.

“I couldn’t do it. My mouth could not do it. I told him, ‘Look at my face, look at my face. My face, the right side is dead,'” Gill said.

That explanation, according to Gill, didn’t seem to satisfy the officer.

“He didn’t believe me.”

Because he couldn’t provide medical proof, Gill wound up with a ticket and his car was seized. After getting a blood and urine test to show he was not impaired, and retaining a lawyer — Gill says he was able to get his car and license back.

Related Articles:

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The Surrey RCMP says it cannot comment on this specific case, but a spokesperson notes an officer can demand anyone who they believe to be under the influence of alcohol to take the test.

“Clear directions are provided to the driver on how to blow into the device and officers will even demonstrate how to blow into the device to ensure understanding,” an emailed response reads.

“If someone refuses to or fails to provide a breath sample, they can receive a 90 day driving prohibition and a 30 day vehicle impound, the same penalty as someone who provided a breath sample and blew a fail,” the statement adds.

Police are required to document any reason, including a medical or physical issue, given by a driver to explain why they could not complete the test.

“A copy of the paperwork is provided to the driver and it includes instructions for how to request a review,” the email continued, adding anyone who thinks they have been treated unfairly by police can make a complaint to the Surrey RCMP or the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission.

‘It’s very frequent’

Vancouver lawyer Kyla Lee says in her experience, what happened to Gill is not actually all that uncommon.

“It’s very frequent that we see cases of people who aren’t able to provide a sample, who are factually innocent — they’ve not consumed any alcohol, they’re not doing anything wrong — but they’re unable to blow properly due to a medical condition,” she told OMNI News.

Lee adds when something like this happens, the burden is on the driver to dispute the resulting action.

“The problem is that the Motor Vehicle Act doesn’t really provide much of a review process for those types of situations,” she explained. “You have a very short time to do it, you have to prove your innocence in the review hearing, and while all of this is taking place, even though you are actually innocent, you still have to serve all of the consequences associated with the prohibition until the adjudicator renders their decision.”

Ultimately, however, Lee says the police officer in Gill’s case was likely just following the law, though she notes she can’t say anything for sure without seeing the police report.

Meanwhile, Gill says he wants to share his story to help bring awareness to what’s happened.

“I don’t want it to happen to anybody else. I suffered for two weeks without a car, without a license,” he said.