Police are handing out fines and demerit points for dangerous driving

Motorists are driving into oncoming traffic to avoid roadwork on Lougheed Highway in Burnaby

BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – Several drivers have been slapped with expensive fines for trying to creatively skirt around heavy roadwork delays on Lougheed Highway near Holdom Avenue in Burnaby.

Mounties handed out several tickets for $196 and six demerit points on Wednesday morning when drivers were caught driving into oncoming traffic.

RCMP Staff Sergeant Major John Buis said he wasn’t aware of the issue until contacted by NEWS 1130.

“It appears as though drivers are trying to skip traffic on Lougheed by taking another route,” he explains. “In order to get to this route, they’re driving into an oncoming lane.”

He added police will be working with road crews to see if they can put up some barriers to deter people from trying to make that risky left turn.

“People could be charged with anything from dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, driving without consideration for others on the roadway, or driving on the wrong side of the median,” he said.

“Those are pretty serious situations, and it would also depend if there was a crash involved and what we’re worried about is there could be a collision with serious injuries if people continue to do this.”

You may have seen the behaviour yourself in the dark and possibly rainy commute.

“It’s going to continue to get darker earlier in the evening and then darker in the morning, so we want to make sure we stop this right away.”

Buis said officers will monitor the situation daily moving forward.