BC Highway Patrol warning of ‘very visible’ police presence this May long weekend
KAMLOOPS — The BC Highway Patrol says it will be out and about on provincial highways this Victoria Day long weekend.
In a news release Friday (May 16), it said there will be highly-visible police patrols in the Kamloops area, as well as in places like Barriere, Sicamous, Chase, Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden, and Revelstoke.
“Motorists will see roving patrols, unmarked police vehicles, and check stops as BC Highway Patrol officers all over B.C. look to stop distracted driving, aggressive driving, impaired driving, and people not wearing their seatbelts,” BC Highway Patrol Supt. Mike Coyle said in the release.
Police say between Friday and Monday of the May long weekend, there have been an average of three deaths and almost 2,200 crashes each year between 2019 and 2023. They also say there has been a “concerning escalation” since historic low numbers from 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
