While BC RCMP are going back to pre-COVID measures when it comes to things like road checks, they say there will still be a priority on safety because of the pandemic.

That’s according to Superintendent Holly Turton, who says the easing of restrictions in the province today does not mean the virus has been beaten.

“I want to ensure the motoring public that we are taking all the reasonable steps necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” she said. “The public may see our officers wearing PPE and where possible, maintaining appropriate social distancing, and there will be times where we have to encroach on personal space like making an arrest.”

Among other things, police will be focused on high risk driving behaviour like excessive speeding. Nearly 150 vehicles were impounded over the long weekend, 57 in the Southern Interior alone, including one vehicle near Merritt, which was caught doing more than 75 km/hr over the speed limit.

“COVID-19 does not exempt anyone from receiving a ticket where warranted, nor will it prevent our officers from performing their duties as required,” Turton added. “Driving is a privilege and B.C. is a leader when it comes to holding drivers accountable for their actions.”

Her comments were made during High Risk Driving month, which lasts all through May. The campaign also coincides with the Canada Safety Council’s National Road Safety Week, which ended yesterday.

“This road safety awareness campaign is part of the broader Canada Road Safety Strategy 2025, which aims to makes Canada’s roads the safest in the world,” she said. “The campaign is designed to increase public compliance with safe driving measures in order to save lives and reduce injuries on our roads.

Last month, the RCMP told NL News it will temporarily scale back on road checks and enforcement campaigns to try and limit the contact with people as much as possible.