While people have been asked to avoid non-essential travel over the May long weekend, BC RCMP will be monitoring the highways looking for drivers who are breaking the law.

BC RCMP Traffic Superintendent Holly Turton says that on average 114 people die each year in crashes involving high risk driving.

“There has been a significant drop in traffic volumes since COVID-19 restrictions have been put in place. However, police have reported an increase in the number of excessive speeding violations,” she said. “This is concerning and unacceptable. The COVID-19 pandemic is not an excuse to disregard the law.”

With the province easing COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday, Turton is anticipating traffic volumes on the province’s highways to increase, and says police will be returning to pre-COVID-19 enforcement levels immediately.

“[It] includes enhanced enforcement to educate the driving public and target high risk driving behaviour,” Turton added, noting that other examples of high-risk driving includes texting when behind the wheel, following too closely, improper passing, and ignoring traffic control measures.

“Injuries and death that result from high risk driving behaviours can be prevented and it all starts with the person behind the wheel.”

She notes May is designated as High Risk Driving month, coinciding with Canada Safety Council’s National Road Safety Week from May 12th to 18th.

Last month, BC RCMP Traffic Services suspended things like road checks and other enforcement campaigns because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was done to limit the contact between RCMP officers and other people as much as possible.