The Mounties are giving Kelowna a bit of advance warning — traffic officers plan to step up enforcement.
An officer with the RCMP Integrated Road Safety Unit conducted a stop July 11 at 12:31 am, with a vehicle seen speeding excessively through a construction zone along Highway 97 near Findlay Road.
"The vehicle had been allegedly travelling over 100 kilometres per hour in the posted 50 km/hr, construction speed zone, which runs along Highway 97 between Highway 33 and Findlay Road," said Const. Jesse O'Donaghey, in a press release.
The driver allegedly displayed signs and symptoms of alcohol intoxication during their interaction with the officer roadside. As a result a demand was made and the driver provided samples of their breath roadside which resulted in a fail.
The driver was issued an Immediate Roadside Prohibition, a violation ticket for excessive speed and their vehicle was removed from the roadway to be impounded.
“RCMP would like to remind motorists to slow down in construction zones,” said O’Donaghey. “RCMP traffic enforcement officers will be stepping up enforcement, which will target speeders in construction zones, in an effort to keep road crews safe."
Drivers caught speeding, anywhere from 1 km/hr to 40 km/hr over the posted limit, in a construction zone could face fines from $196 to $253. Fine amounts for excessive speeding start at $368.