Lake Louise RCMP ticket driver doing 179 km/h in a 90 km/h zone

A motorist was recorded driving 179 km/hr in a 90 km/hr zone by Lake Louise RCMP on May 16.

A motorist in a hurry to get out of Banff has a court date after being recorded doing 179 km/hr in a 90 km/hr zone.

On May 16 at around 6:30 p.m., Lake Louise RCMP spotted the vehicle on Highway 1 driving at extremely high speeds westbound between Banff and Lake Louise.

The driver was served a summons to appear in court.

Ahead of the May long weekend, when the park will be busier than usual, the Alberta RCMP are reminding motorists that driving at high speeds increases the chances of collision and the risk of serious injury for all road users.

So far in 2023, RCMP officers have handed out 864 tickets for speeding on Highway 1 in the park, and 61 of them have been for driving over 50 km/h over the posted speed limit.

"Traffic safety is a priority for Lake Louise RCMP," said Sgt. Susan Richter of the Lake Louise RCMP. “Our officers are on the road every day to identify high-risk driving behaviours and intervene so that everyone can make it to their destination safely.”

A 2020 report by Alberta Transportation showed that 26.2 per cent of fatal collisions involved vehicles travelling at unsafe speeds.

"Alberta RCMP Traffic strives to enhance public safety by reducing harm and hazardous behaviours on Alberta roadways through strategic partnerships, enforcement, education and crime reduction initiatives," said Sgt. Darrin Turnbull, supervisor of Alberta RCMP traffic.

"Speeding is just not worth the risk it poses to everyone on our roadways. Alberta RCMP traffic will continue our enforcement and education efforts to protect the safety of all road users."