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Icy roads chill drivers’ need for speed on Highways 3 and 5

COVID-19 and winter conditions had traffic cool
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Highway 3 at Frontage Road on the west side of Princeton, looking south at noon on Saturday, Jan 1, 2022. (DriveBC photo)

After a rocky reopening, travel on Highways 3 and 5 cooled down for the holidays.

“I get all the briefing notes from around the province with respect to any serious crashes, including fatalities and [from Dec. 17 to Jan. 3] I had none,” said Cpl. Mike Halskov, media relations officer for BC Highway Patrol. “Usually there’s something and this year the holidays were quiet, and I don’t like to use that word.”

Halskov considered ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions, ongoing road work on the highways and the recent winter to be factors in the lack of major incidents. The driving conditions in particular he noted helping as most people generally slow down in winter.

“Sometimes Mother Nature works in our favour to get people to slow down a little bit,” said Halskov.

READ MORE: Heavy snow to blanket Okanagan starting Wednesday

There were still fines handed out however. A man on Highway 97 near Dawson Creek was caught going over 50 km/h above the speed limit while intoxicated on Dec. 28.

The Highway Patrol has increased the amount of enforcement along Highways 3 and 5 following their reopening after the flooding in November.

Exact numbers for the number of fines given out since the highways were reopened were not immediately available.

READ MORE: Southern B.C. braces for heavy snow as northern region endures bone-chilling cold

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Brennan Phillips

About the Author: Brennan Phillips

Brennan was raised in the Okanagan and is thankful every day that he gets to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
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