{"id":4840,"date":"2025-08-22T11:47:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T18:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/?p=7325952"},"modified":"2025-08-22T12:06:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T19:06:12","slug":"alberta-driver-tells-merritt-rcmp-he-was-speeding-to-save-on-gas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/inwheels\/news\/4840\/alberta-driver-tells-merritt-rcmp-he-was-speeding-to-save-on-gas\/","title":{"rendered":"Alberta driver tells Merritt RCMP he was speeding to &#8216;save on gas&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A driver from Edmonton behind the wheel of an eight-seat van with nine occupants was pulled over last weekend on the Okanagan Connector near Merritt doing 136 km\/h in a 100 zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Officers with the BC Highway Patrol based out of Merritt stopped the grey minivan just after 7 p.m. Saturday, August. 16, near Hamilton Hill Road on Highway 97C, according to an RCMP media release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The drive told police he was speeding because he was almost out of gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe explained to the driver that speeding dramatically worsens your fuel economy,\u201d&nbsp;media relations officer Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said in the release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSure enough, the van ran out of gas at roadside. Meanwhile, the driver could not explain why only two out of nine people were wearing seatbelts, or why a 3-year-old\u2019s car seat had no functioning buckles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 36-year-old Edmonton has was handed tickets totalling $472. Here&#8217;s how the violations break down:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Speeding (21 to 40 km\/h), section 146(3) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) with a fine of $196;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Permit passenger without seatbelt, section 220(6) of the BC MVA ($167);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Child improperly restrained, section 36.03(2) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations (MVAR) with a fine of $109;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Three passengers were issued tickets for \u2018fail to wear seatbelt\u2019, section 220(4) of the BC MVA, for additional fines totalling $501.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/108117_LARGE_CROP_gas_in_minivan_4054156513856831141__002_.jpg\" alt=\"|\" class=\"wp-image-7325968\" title=\"|\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A grey minivan is refuelled from a jerry can.<br \/>SUBMITTED \/ RCMP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>RCMP said the driver also had to pay for a taxi to bring him a jerry can of fuel and to give the extra passenger a ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;There are many reasons to slow down. You will very likely avoid police attention, and you will be much safer,\u201d Cpl. McLaughlin said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you get into a collision at high speed, every person who is not wearing a seatbelt will die. You do not want that on your conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The driver could not explain why only two out of nine people were wearing seatbelts, or why a three-year-old\u2019s car seat had no functioning buckles.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":362,"featured_media":4841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"guid":"","source":"","byline":"","published":"","updated":"","_infotelid":"","_prepressid":"","_multisite_post_sync":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"region":[],"class_list":["post-4840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-misc"],"blocksy_meta":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/infonews.ca\/inwheels\/news\/4840\/alberta-driver-tells-merritt-rcmp-he-was-speeding-to-save-on-gas\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Alberta driver tells Merritt RCMP he was speeding to &#8216;save on 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