More than 100 speeders have been nabbed during targeted campaigns on the Malahat since a fatal three-vehicle crash in November.
The Capital Regional District Integrated Road Safety Unit has set up traffic enforcement on the Malahat portion of the Trans-Canada Highway on four occasions since Nov. 18
“Each time, officers were able to issue an average of 30 speeding violation tickets in an approximate two-hour time frame,” said unit commander Staff Sgt. James Anderson.
Shawnigan Lake resident Dave Paulin, 33, died after his southbound vehicle was hit by a northbound pickup just north of Aspen Road.
Three people were taken to hospital, including Paulin’s girlfriend, Lisa Reid. She now lives with Paulin’s best friend and his partner. Reid’s recovery is slow, but she is walking.
At the time, West Shore RCMP Const. Alex Bérubé said the driver of the pickup was going too fast for road conditions.
Anderson said after the crash that enforcement would be stepped up.
“The presence of the police on the Malahat did slow down traffic,” he said. “It is quite evident that when the police are not visible on the Malahat, speeding continues.”
It is, “unfortunately, a normal occurrence,” he said.
However, Anderson said it would be unfair to label all drivers on the highway as unsafe, “as there are many drivers who do obey the Malahat speed limits and drive safely.”
IRSU officers will continue to enforce the Malahat speed limits to reduce the risk of a serious collision, Anderson said.
The lack of median barriers on that portion of the road has also been cited as a factor in the fatality.
Malahat Fire Chief Rob Patterson said it’s unlikely anyone would have died had barriers been in place.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone said in November he hopes median barriers will be installed in the Malahat village area, site of the crash, within the next year.
The province said the goal is to install median barriers along most of the corridor, although there are small sections where space limitations make it impossible.
Patterson also suggested a chronic wet patch on the road as another possible factor.
The drainage problem that was causing the wet patch was repaired by the province in December.
The crash remains under investigation, Bérubé said Tuesday.
