Delta police warn of hefty fees for excessive speeding

The Delta Police Department shared the details of a costly incident in which a driver was busted speeding on Highway 17 on Wednesday.

Police say the person was caught going more than 50 kilometres above the posted speed limit, and the DPD tells 1130 NewsRadio it wants his case to be a reminder to others.

“The car maintained 135 kilometers an hour for quite a distance, but to do so required the driver to actually weave between traffic — between both lanes to clear the other cars. So it created a dangerous situation in addition to the to the speed,” said Insp. James Sandberg.

“We want road safety for all road users, and this is one way that we’re improving road safety is by sharing the information.”

The driver has been hit with varying penalties totalling almost two-grand and three penalty points. In a post to social media Thursday, the DPD broke down the total into parts including:

• $365 fine;
• Tow and impound fees;
• Driver Risk premium for three years.

“Every year, the driver will pay approximately $392 additional for his insurance. So this one speeding incident, all said and done, will be about $1,950. That occurs for every excessive speeding ticket,” said Sandberg.

Sandberg estimated that the DPD impounds between 10 and 15 cars per week in Delta. He said the department is asking drivers to slow down amid a summer of increased crashes and fatalities on B.C. roads.

“Slow down. Use your road sense. It is the Thursday before a long weekend. We know historically in British Columbia, the long weekends often are accompanied by carnage on our roads. Slow down, enjoy the drive. Be patient and drive responsibly so that we have a safe situation for yourself and for the other other users around you on the road.”