A traffic sergeant with the Kennebecasis Regional police wants to see stiffer penalties for those caught putting the pedal to the metal on New Brunswick roads and clocking in at more than 50 kilometres over the posted speed limit.
In New Brunswick, the punishment for that kind of speeding is an approximately $600 fine which Sergeant Evan Scott tells us does not serve as a deterrent for drivers. He says a couple of years ago he stopped the same person twice in one day for speeding.
“Once in the morning on the four lane Highway 1 heading towards Moncton at 168 kilometres an hour, this is probably about 10 or 11 o’clock in the morning,” says Sgt. Scott. “2 o’clock in the afternoon I was on the opposite lane, I got another vehicle at 154. Exact same car. Same driver. Charged twice.”
Wet roads and fog haven’t slowed people down this morning. 3 tickets in 45 min with 163kph the highest. Slow down and save a life! pic.twitter.com/CUZ3jOrZuf
— KRPF Traffic (@KRPFTraffic) October 10, 2017
A Saint John man was recently charged with stunting in Nova Scotia after he was caught driving 55 kilometres an hour over the posted speed limit. The fine for stunting in Nova Scotia is just over $2400 dollars and, along with the fine, the man’s license was suspended and his vehicle was seized. Sgt. Scott says we here in New Brunswick we need to follow in the footsteps of other provinces like Nova Scotia, and create new legislation on top of the current fine.
We need this legislation in NB, I caught someone this morning on Hw 1 at 163kph and all we can do is fine them. All too common here…
— KRPF Traffic (@KRPFTraffic) October 10, 2017
“Anybody driving over 50 kilometres an hour from the posted speed limit in the province of New Brunswick, they currently just get a ticket for $604.50 and they’re on their way, we really need more of a deterrent to keep these speeds lower,” he says.
“Earlier last year I think the highest I probably got was 185. If you’re driving 185 kilometres an hour by the time you perceive a hazard you don’t have time to react to it. You’re already into the collision. And the fatality rate for excessive speeds such as this are far greater.”
