News release
Road Report: Richmond RCMP keeps focus on speed and high-risk driving
June 18, 2026
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Richmond, British Columbia
From: Richmond RCMP
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Content
Richmond RCMP’s Road Safety Unit (RSU) kept its focus on high-risk driving through May, targeting the behaviours behind the most serious crashes – excessive speed, distraction, and impairment.
May traffic violation tickets at a glance
- Speeding: 284
- Driver’s licence infractions: 170
- Distracted driving: 91
- Impaired (drug/alcohol): 20
Where officers focused
Enforcement centred on excessive speed and driver distraction. RSU also continued education and enforcement around e-bikes and motorcycle safety. Officers are seeing more e-motorcycles that are not street legal; operating them on the road may lead to serious penalties which range from fines and impounds to criminal charges. Helmet use and safe operation remain part of that enforcement.
Notable files
Excessive speed
Several drivers were stopped at speeds high enough to trigger a mandatory vehicle impound, and a recurring theme stood out: a number of fast-moving drivers held new or restricted licenses.
- On May 27, an RSU officer paced a vehicle at 150 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 91. The driver was issued a violation ticket for excessive speed, and the vehicle was impounded.
- Also on May 27, the same officer clocked a vehicle at 111 km/h in a 50 km/h zone near the Highway 91 on ramp at Nelson Road. The driver held a Class 7 licence, was carrying two passengers, and was not displaying an N sign. Charges included excessive speed, driving contrary to license restrictions and failing to display an N sign – a total fine of $586 and six demerit points – along with a seven-day impound.
- On May 18, an officer stopped a Ford Explorer travelling 139 km/h in a 50 km/h zone on Westminster Highway, 89 km/h over the limit. The driver held a learner’s licence and had no supervisor in the vehicle, and was charged with excessive speed, driving contrary to licence restrictions, and failing to produce a driver’s licence. The vehicle was impounded.
Illegally modified vehicles
Multiple vehicles were taken off the road in May for noise and emissions modifications.
- A loud Infiniti with a heavy exhaust smell was stopped after a plate check showed the registered owner’s licence had expired. The driver was unlicensed, the vehicle’s noise exceeded the 83-decibel limit, and its catalytic converters had been removed. The driver was ticketed and the vehicle ordered for inspection.
- A Ford Mustang on Steveston Highway was stopped by police and the exhaust noise measured 106 decibels – loud enough to risk hearing damage – with its mufflers and catalytic converters removed. The driver was charged with failing to display plates, operating an improperly equipped vehicle and unnecessary noise, and the vehicle was ordered for inspection.
Removing factory emission controls also worsens local air quality.
“Some of the speeds our officers recorded in May leave no margin if something goes wrong, for the driver or for anyone nearby,” said Sgt. Stephen Large, Richmond RCMP Road Safety Unit. “Those are the drivers we’re out looking for, and that focus won’t let up over the summer.”
Looking ahead: summer and impaired driving
Summer brings the province’s impaired-driving enforcement season, and Richmond RCMP will be increasing enforcement through the warmer months.
If you’re heading out this summer, plan your ride home before you go. Use a designated driver, transit, a cab or a rideshare. There is never a good reason to get behind the wheel impaired.
