A Vancouver Island driver may have mistaken the Trans-Canada Highway for a racetrack when he was caught speeding at more than double the posted limit late last month.
On April 25, just after 5 p.m., BC Highway Patrol officers were conducting speed enforcement near Ladysmith when a BMW came flying through at 218 km/h in a 90 km/h zone.
The driver’s explanation?
“He was testing his new fuel injectors,” said Corporal Michael McLaughlin in a release from BC Highway Patrol on May 6. “We have heard the ‘engine test’ excuse many times. Driving at the speed limit is enough of a test. If you need more speed, go to a racetrack and do it properly.”
It’s not nearly as thrilling, but injector diagnostics are typically done in-shop using scanners, stethoscopes and flow tests. Apparently the officer knew that so the driver’s excuse didn’t fly.
The 31-year-old BMW driver received a $483 ticket for excessive speeding, along with a seven-day vehicle impound. He will also be on the hook for tow fees and increased insurance premiums.
He may not be the only one heading for such costly penalties as May has been designated High-Risk Driving Awareness Month across the province. So before you try to star in your own version of Ladysmtih Drift, BC Highway Patrol suggests you pump the brakes.
“The entire month of May is dedicated to reducing high-risk driving in B.C.,” said McLaughlin. “We hope that people choose to slow down, relax more, and get to their destination safely rather than end up a statistic.”
The May long weekend is historically one of the most dangerous times of year for crashes in the province, according to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.
The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General reports that high-risk driving behaviours — such as speeding, distracted driving, and impairment — are the leading causes of traffic fatalities and serious injuries in British Columbia.
While the recent Ladysmith incident may sound absurd, the consequences of high-risk driving are anything but. BC Highway Patrol urges drivers to obey speed limits and save the need for speed for the movies.
As for the “engine test” excuse? Like many before it, it failed.
