BC Highway Patrol impounds auto transport truck for speeding

A 53-year-old driver from Calgary faces over $1,400 in fines and vehicle impoundment after being caught speeding in a construction zone near Merritt, British Columbia. On July 31, BC Highway Patrol officers clocked a fully-loaded auto transport truck traveling at 109 km/h in a 60 km/h zone at the junction of Highways 5 and 97C.

According to police, the driver failed to stop even after officers activated lights and sirens, driving through the entire construction zone before pulling over. A subsequent level 1 inspection revealed major safety violations in both the tractor and the trailer, including improper brake performance, inoperable yellow marker lamps, and inadequate tires.

The vehicles were unloaded at the scene, and both the tractor unit and the trailer were taken out of service. The registered owner of the vehicle, a company based in Surrey, is responsible for the costs of the seven-day impound and towing. Sgt. Michael McLaughlin stated that authorities are increasing focus on commercial truck safety in the Thompson-Nicola region following resident requests.