“Speed, I am speed.” While it’s a famous quote by Lightning McQueen in Cars, Edmonton police and Alberta RCMP are hoping drivers in the province stop living like the animated race car.
In the Edmonton Police Service’s most recent 24-hour operation, they issued 1,259 traffic violation tickets.
Of those tickets issued, 1,013 tickets were for speeding.
Officers say while using radar enforcement near Whitemud Drive and 34 Street, they clocked a silver 2023 Genesis G70 at 159 km/h a mere 79 km/h over the speed limit. A traffic stop was conducted and the 25-year-old driver was issued a mandatory court summons.
EPS also handed out 246 other traffic tickets. Of those, 65 were for red light infractions, 78 non-hazardous TSA infractions (equipment, documents etc.), 97 for hazardous infractions (moving violations), and six for distracting driving violations.
Meanwhile, the Alberta RCMP conducted enhanced traffic enforcement over the long week in an effort to crack down on drug and alcohol-impaired drivers in the province.
Over the long weekend, Mounties were able to remove 173 impaired drivers from the roads.
“While we promote safe driving behaviours all year round, we want to enhance this messaging and our enforcement efforts during holidays or long weekends when more people are out on our roadways,” says Sgt. Vinnie Hetu, Alberta RCMP Traffic. “Impaired driving is a danger to yourself and others. Always plan a safe, sober ride accordingly.”
Mounties say penalties for impaired driving include a 90-day suspension, one year of mandatory ignition interlock, a 30-day vehicle seizure, a $1,000 fine, and a criminal record.