More than 700 vehicles were stopped in a multi-enforcement checkstop west of Lac La Biche on Highway 55 last Saturday.
In a press release issued to the Lac La Biche POST today, local RCMP say the six-hour checkstop included Lac La Biche RCMP, Alberta Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Alberta Fish and Wildlife and Lac La Biche County Peace Officers who issued 41 violation tickets - including one impaired driving charge and one suspended driver - and 47 verbal warnings.
During the checkstop Police encountered a young male driver who was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. He subsequently provided a sample of his breath and was issued a 30 day licence suspension and his vehicle was seized. Another motorist was charged after it was learned his drivers licence was suspended and his vehicle has been seized for 30 days.
Of the commercial vehicles stopped, Lac La Biche RCMP Const. Chris Clark tells the POST, half were found to have minor deficiencies that were addressed and corrected before the trucks were allowed back onto the highway.
Clark also tells the POST officers checked several commercial vehicles and issued five violation tickets for commercial trailers not being registered. One log truck was also parked by officers and not allowed to return to the road until the driver met his required hours of rest.
This checkstop is part of an on going commitment by the Lac La Biche RCMP to bring enforcement agencies together, Clark told the POST, and to work on reducing collisions and deaths on Alberta highways.
