A BC Highway Patrol officer at a check stop in the Kootenays. (Image Credit: BC Highway Patrol)

By Victor Kaisar

Impaired Driving

More than 600 impaired drivers removed from B.C. highways this summer, police say

Sep 8, 2025 | 7:15 PM

KAMLOOPS — It was a busy summer for the BC Highway Patrol as officers say they took 626 impaired drivers off the road during the 2025 Summer Impaired Driving Campaign, which ran from June 15 to Aug. 31.

The BC Highway Patrol notes while impaired driving by drugs or alcohol “is an issue everywhere,” it was especially problematic in central and northern British Columbia. Police also noted that considering the smaller population, northern B.C. continues to have the highest total of driving prohibitions, criminal charges and drug prohibitions.

In a news release Monday (Sept. 8), the BC Highway Patrol released its statistics from the roughly two month long campaign:

• Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky, and eastern Fraser Valley: 150
• Northern BC: 146 (11 were detected impaired by drugs)
• Vancouver Island: 131 (15 were detected impaired by drugs)
• Central BC: 111
• Kootenay region: 88 (31 were detected impaired by drugs)

“This year’s Summer Impaired Driving Campaign is a graphic illustration of why we all need to do better staying sober while driving,” said Supt. Mike Coyle, the operations officer of BC Highway Patrol.

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“Impaired driving is the leading cause of criminal death in BC. It’s simply unacceptable to think that it’s okay to drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs.”

Coyle also said while drug-impaired driving is a particular issue in the Kootenays, “it’s an increasing problem everywhere with serious and fatal collisions.”

“We need people, especially in rural areas of BC, to be more serious about staying sober,” he said.

BC Highway Patrol also says it has been expanding the use of Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS), which allows police officers to demand an immediate breath sample, under Section 320.27(2) of the Canadian Criminal Code, if a driver is lawfully stopped.

“There is no longer any need to develop a reasonable suspicion that a driver has alcohol in their system, and the entire process can be done in less than two minutes,” the news release stated. “Drivers who refuse the breath demand are committing a criminal offence that leads to penalties similar to impaired driving charges.”

Police say by using MAS, they’re able to detect impaired drivers who do not show obvious signs of intoxication. They say they stopped multiple drivers for speeding and later found that the driver was also impaired.

“Speeding and impaired driving are consistently two of the three most significant contributors to fatal collisions in B.C.,” police added, noting distracted driving is the third contributor.