RCMP report traffic offences increasing on the Sunshine Coast

Traffic offences reported on the Coast by the RCMP in 2022 increased by 51 per cent over 2021. And the rate continues to climb, with a 150 per cent uptick during the first quarter of 2023 (to March 20)  over that same period in 2022, according to RCMP activity reports on the Gibsons committee meeting agenda for April 18.

In the overall crime category summary, the local detachment reported 30 traffic offences during the first quarter of 2023, up from 12 in that same period of 2022. The total for 2022 was 113, up from 75 the previous year.

The number of motor vehicle incidents with an RCMP response reported during the first three months of 2023 was down, with 41 compared to 61 in that period of 2022. The number reported in 2022 totalled 277, down by one over 2021 levels

Impaired driving incidents increased to 149 in 2022 from 127 the previous year. Between Jan. 1 and March 20 of this year, those types of reports doubled to 42 from 21 in the same period of 2022.

To March 20 of this year, the number of vehicle collision reports went down 48 per cent, with 21 reports compared to 40 during the first three months of 2022. The change for those between 2021 and 2022 was a five per cent decrease from 161 to 153. There were three collisions resulting in fatalities in 2022, up from one in 2021. None were reported to date in 2023. Collisions that resulted in non-fatal injuries went down in 2022 to 58 from 66 in 2021. There were 10 in the first three months of 2023, the same number listed for that period in 2022.

While those numbers related to the detachment area as a whole, reports for the Gibsons area are also included on the agenda.  Detachment commander St. Sgt. Jennifer Prunty is slated to present the data at the meeting.