BC RCMP are reminding people to drive according to the conditions, to drive sober and distraction free, and to wear your seatbelts this Family Day Long weekend.

Cpl. Mike Halskov says to also make sure that your vehicle is in good shape with the proper winter tires if you are on the highway. Like with many long weekends, he says officers will be patrolling provincial highways and they will be enforcing the rules as needed in and around the Kamloops area.

“Just want to remind drivers again as I mentioned earlier that if they’re going to be travelling anywhere its essential travel only during COVID,” he told NL News.

“If you’re on the roads, slow down, obey speed limits, drive according to the conditions and drive sober and distraction free, wear your seatbelts. Do all those things and keep yourself safe.”

His comments come on the heels of a major crash on the Coquihalla on Wednesday that killed one man and his dog and injured several other people. Police say road and weather conditions were a key factor in that crash north of Hope, as well as speed relative to conditions.

Halskov is urging people to check Drive BC and postpone their travel plans if the weather happens to take a turn for the worse, especially on the mountain highways.

As it stands, Environment Canada is forecasting temperatures in the Kamloops area to return closer to seasonal by next week.