Video shows police diverting from another call to deal with a dangerous sleeping driver

September 3, 2026 - Langley, British Columbia
From: BC Highway Patrol

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No matter what faith you have in your vehicle’s technology, sleeping while driving is illegal, and sleepy drivers are starting to divert police from other calls that they would rather be attending.

On August 27, 2026, during the rush hour at 7:45 a.m., a BC Highway Patrol officer was on a priority call when he passed a Tesla with a man in the driver’s seat on Highway #1 near 248 Street, Langley. The BC Highway Patrol officer was forced to divert from the priority call because the driver of the Tesla had his eyes closed and both hands off the steering wheel.

“The police officer’s observations and his Body Worn Camera appeared to show the Tesla driver was asleep, though the driver claimed otherwise,” said Sergeant Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “This traffic stop took a valuable resource away from another police call. If drivers would stop sleeping behind the wheel, we could go help people who need us more.”

The Tesla driver was issued fines for:

• Driving without due care and attention, section 144(1)(a) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act (MVA), with a fine of $368,
• Fail to produce a driver’s licence, section 33(1) of the BC MVA ($81).

Fortunately, other BC Highway Patrol officers were able to deal with the original call involving a man with an extensive police history who was walking on the highway.

“We can’t ignore drivers who are inattentive to this degree,” says Sergeant McLaughlin. “The potential for serious injury or death is too high. If you’re sleeping, you’re forcing us to pull you over, and that means we’re going to leave you with financial consequences.”

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