RNC Issues Hundreds of Tickets During Canada Road Safety Week

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary issued more than 500 traffic tickets during a weeklong enforcement campaign tied to Canada Road Safety Week, with officers recording several cases of excessive speeding across the province.

Police said a total of 525 tickets were issued during the initiative, the majority for speeding offences. Enforcement efforts were carried out by RNC Traffic Services and Operational Patrol Services officers throughout the Northeast Avalon, the Corner Brook region and Labrador West.

The campaign focused on dangerous driving behaviours in residential neighbourhoods, school zones and along provincial highways.

According to the RNC, officers stopped two drivers travelling 160 km/h on the Trans-Canada Highway near Corner Brook on separate occasions. On May 18, another driver was clocked at 146 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the Team Gushue Highway.

In all three cases, police said the drivers were ticketed, their vehicles were seized and their licences were suspended.

A separate covert enforcement operation conducted in downtown St. John's on May 16 targeted distracted driving and seatbelt violations. Police reported issuing eight tickets during the operation, most related to cellphone use while driving.

The RNC also reported detecting three impaired drivers during the week. In total, 17 vehicles were seized and 16 drivers had their licences suspended.