On Wednesday, Oct. 19, Clearwater RCMP stopped a vehicle on Highway 5 near Jenkins Road for speeding (121 km/h).
During the traffic stop it was determined the driver was impaired by marijuana.
Police issued a 24-hour driving suspension, gave the driver a speeding ticket, and impounded the vehicle for 24 hours.
Excessive speed
On Oct. 20, Clearwater RCMP stopped a vehicle southbound on Highway 5 near Roundtop Road for speeding.
The radar clocked the vehicle at 154 km/hr. The vehicle was impounded for seven days and the driver fined $368.
Any person caught speeding excessively will be fined and the vehicle he or she was driving will be impounded for seven days, regardless of who the vehicle is registered to.
It's hunting season
RCMP remind all the hunters in the area that your rifles should not be in your vehicle when you go the grocery store after a day of hunting. As a best practice, take them home first.
The laws surrounding firearms in an unattended vehicle state that a non-restricted firearm (most hunting rifles) MUST be unloaded, in the trunk, or if there is no trunk, the firearm MUST be out of sight, and the vehicle locked.
If your rifle is visible to someone walking by, you’re doing it wrong.
Generally speaking, this is to prevent any would-be thief from seeing your firearm and helping themselves.
Again, the best practice would be to take your firearms home after hunting, securing them in the house (hopefully with that record buck you were after all day) and then go do your shopping or what-not in town.
Time for winter tires
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Book your appointments and get those winter tires on your vehicle; the snow is coming.
Already on Oct. 20 there was very heavy rain in Clearwater that turned to slush or soft hail for a few minutes. We might see snow before Halloween, though maybe that’s just wishful thinking.
Take care this time of year, winter tires or not. Temperatures are getting quite close to the freezing mark, especially overnight, and with the amount of rain we have been receiving, icy and slippery sections of road are likely.
The first snowfall of the year shouldn’t be reason for a new vehicle; be aware of the road conditions and drive safely.