An incident involving a wrong-way driver this weekend on the Trans-Canada Highway could have ended in tragedy if not for quick action from other motorists and police.
Dashcam footage posted to social media shows a pickup truck travelling in the wrong direction on the highway through the Thetis Lake area at around 4:45 a.m. on Saturday, June 13th.
The video first shows a vehicle travelling in the correct lanes ahead of the wrong-way truck repeatedly flashing its high beams in an apparent attempt to warn approaching motorists of the danger ahead.
While police have not released details regarding the speed of the vehicles involved, both the wrong-way truck and the vehicle it passed appear to be travelling at highway speeds.
The footage shows the truck continuing along the highway in the wrong direction before police eventually intervened.
The video was originally shared on Facebook, where the person who posted it wrote:
“Saturday 4:45am southbound on TCH through Thetis area. Kudos for the vehicle on the correct side of the road warning drivers. Sounded like the RCMP got him.”
In a statement to Victoria Buzz, West Shore RCMP Media Relations Officer Cpl. Nancy Saggar said the driver was issued violations for driving without due care and attention and failure to stop for police.
According to police, the driver, identified as a 52-year-old man from the Vancouver area, did not initially pull over when officers first attempted a traffic stop on the highway but eventually stopped during a subsequent attempt near the Leigh Road exit.
The truck was towed and the driver was issued violation tickets for driving without due care and attention, which carries a $368 fine and six penalty points, and failure to stop for police, which carries a $144 fine and three penalty points.
Police said drugs and alcohol were ruled out as factors and that driver confusion appears to have played a role in the incident.
In a follow-up email, Saggar confirmed the vehicle involved was a company truck but said she could not comment on the driver’s motivation or why the vehicle was travelling on the wrong side of the highway.
The investigation remains ongoing and West Shore RCMP are continuing to liaise with Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement.
There were no report of injuries or collisions due to this incident.
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