As Sylvan Lake begins to welcome the annual flock of tourists during the summer, area RCMP and enforcement services are working to ensure traffic safety around town.
The Sylvan Lake RCMP responded to calls and conducted proactive enforcement for impaired driving between April 21 and May 2. During this period, there were six provincial sanctions issued for impaired driving in Sylvan Lake and surrounding highways.
On April 28, a joint force traffic operation was conducted in town where Sylvan Lake RCMP officers teamed up with Alberta RCMP provincial traffic units from Stettler and Blackfalds, as well as the town’s municipal enforcement services to issue violation tickets.
A total of 17 tickets were handed out, including eight for speeding in school zones, seven seatbelt violations, and two distracted driving.
Later in the evening of April 28, the officials also conducted a joint force operation checkstop on Highway 20 and Highway 12 near Bentley. During the checkstop, 90 personal vehicles and 12 commercial vehicles were checked.
Officers issued two graduated driver’s license suspensions due to alcohol consumption.
“As the warmer months are approaching, our community sees an increase in the volume of traffic in Sylvan Lake and surrounding detachment areas. With this increase, there is also an increase in offenses relating to alcohol and motor vehicles.
“The Sylvan Lake detachment officers will be increasing enforcement in order to enhance road safety for the community and those who travel to Sylvan Lake as a vacation destination,” said Sylvan Lake RCMP Sgt. Christopher Peden.
Peden reminds drivers who consume alcohol or cannabis to make alternate arrangements to get home safely.