Another young driver has had his car impounded after street racing in North Vancouver.
At around 10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29, a 19-year-old male driver in a grey Mercedes sedan was stopped by police after being clocked speeding 199 kilometres per hour on the Upper Levels Highway near Lonsdale Avenue, according to North Vancouver RCMP.
When pulled over, police said the driver responded by saying that “The other driver was going faster.”
Officers weren’t able to stop the second vehicle in question, police said.
The stopped driver, who lives in North Vancouver, was driving contrary to his learner licence restrictions, including driving without a supervisor and having too many passengers in his car. The driver was issued fines for excessive speed, driving without due care and driving contrary to restrictions, RCMP said. His vehicle was impounded for seven days and will likely have his licence suspended. The driver’s penalties total around $1,500.
Speed is the Number 1 case of death on our roadways, said North Vancouver RCMP spokesperson Const. Mansoor Sahak.
“When it comes to speeding and dangerous driving, every death is a preventable death,” he said. “We are committed more than ever to stopping irresponsible drivers through enforcement and education.”
Excessive speeds like this put everyone at risk on the road, Sahak added. “You can’t stop if any objects come out. There’s no reason to be going at that speed.”
North Vancouver RCMP have been seeing e speeding excessive incidents more frequently, Sahak said, noting another event on the Upper Levels Highway in September where two “N” drivers had their vehicles impounded.
“Maybe they’re not getting the message,” he said.
North Vancouver RCMP will continue to make enforcement of high-risk driving a priority, Sahak said.
