Dear Editor
[Re: Cops target racers, 黑马磁力, June 18]
In the article by Tricia Leslie, the drivers were subject to fines of up $483 for excess speeding and one of the vehicles was clocked at 111 km/hr over the speed limit. Some of the vehicles were impounded and some of the drivers were fined for drinking and driving.
If these rogue racers had been in Norway, a number of them would be in jail for excess speeding, losing their drivers' licences for very long periods of time, the fines would likely be much, much higher and if caught with blood alcohol content (BAC) over 0.02 per cent in Norway, the fine is 1.5 times the driver's monthly income plus points that increases future insurance premiums. (Canada is at 0.08 per cent and the vehicle can be impounded if driver is at 0.05 per cent BAC. See attached.)
It should be noted that these fines and other forms of enforcement may seem high in Norway, although when we look at the motor vehicle crash incidents between Norway and B.C., this province has 21 times as many people injured annually compared with Norway. More road crash injuries means that much more pressure on our hospital emergency departments which increases the load on hospital ER staff and health budgets. These may be valid reasons for our provincial government to find additional methods of enforcement that could assist in making our roads safer.
Again, thank you for Ms. Leslie's article on rogue drivers.
Vic Leach, New Westminister
Pedestrian safety advocacy with Walkers' Caucus