Comox Valley RCMP urge drivers to slow down and stay focused after series of serious collisions

July 11, 2026 - Comox Valley, British Columbia
From: Comox Valley RCMP

Content

The summer driving season has begun with a troubling number of serious motor vehicle collisions across the Comox Valley, including crashes resulting in life-altering injuries and fatalities. Police are urging all road users to slow down, stay focused, and exercise patience behind the wheel.

Since the beginning of June, Comox Valley RCMP officers have investigated collisions involving excessive speed, impaired driving, failure to yield, running stop signs, unsafe left turns, following too closely, fatigue, and drivers simply not paying enough attention to what was happening around them.

Several of the more serious collisions share common themes. Multiple crashes occurred when drivers attempted left turns across traffic and misjudged approaching vehicles. Others resulted from drivers failing to stop at stop signs, rear-ending vehicles that had slowed or stopped ahead of them, or losing control after travelling too fast for road conditions.

On June 13, a head-on collision at Ryan Road and Back Road resulted in the death of one driver. Investigators believe an unsafe left turn contributed to the crash. On June 26, a 12-year-old boy sustained serious injuries in a collision at Piercy Road and the Inland Island Highway – he remains in hospital. Evidence suggests one vehicle was turning left when it was struck by an oncoming vehicle.

Impaired driving also continues to be a concern. During a single afternoon on June 18, officers investigated two separate collisions that resulted in roadside driving prohibitions and vehicle impoundments. 

On June 21, an e-bike rider suffered minor injuries after failing to stop at a stop sign and colliding with a pickup truck. Earlier in the month, a motorcyclist sustained serious injuries after failing to yield while crossing Highway 19A in Black Creek.

In addition to collision investigations, Comox Valley RCMP Municipal Traffic Unit officers continue to encounter excessive speeding throughout the region. In recent weeks, officers stopped drivers travelling 105 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, 139 km/h in an 80 km/h zone, and 163 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. Another driver was stopped after passing a long line of vehicles, including several semi-trucks, at more than double the posted speed limit. Drivers involved have been charged under the Motor Vehicle Act, face significant driver penalty points and had their vehicles impounded.

“Many of these collisions were preventable,” said Const. Brad Landers, Comox Valley RCMP Municipal Traffic Unit. “We’re seeing the same behaviours repeatedly: speeding, impatience, impairment, distraction, and drivers taking unnecessary risks. Whether you’re travelling across town or heading out on a summer road trip, a moment of poor judgment can have lifelong consequences.”

Motor vehicle collision investigations often require significant police resources and can keep officers tied up for hours, reducing their ability to proactively patrol and respond elsewhere in the community.

The Comox Valley RCMP is reminding drivers to slow down, leave extra space between vehicles, eliminate distractions, never drive impaired, wear seatbelts, and take extra care at intersections. With increased traffic volumes throughout the summer, drivers should expect delays, plan ahead, and pack their patience.

Officers will continue conducting traffic enforcement throughout the Comox Valley in both marked and unmarked police vehicles.

A few minutes saved is never worth a life changed forever.

Contacts