The May long weekend trends on British Columbia highways were certainly not positive.
The BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) says a spike in both fatalities and excessive speeding tickets in 2026 compared to 2025 shows that too many drivers are exercising poor judgment behind the wheel.
Five people died on BC roads over the Victoria Day long weekend this year, which the BCHP calls a “dark return to form” after there were no highway fatalities in 2025.
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“The sad increase in long weekend deaths shows how we can’t be complacent after a good year like 2025,” said Insp. Chad Badry, BCHP.
Across the province, there were nearly 2,000 fewer speeding tickets issued over May long, but the number of excessive speeding violations jumped from 403 to 568.
“A lower overall number of tickets is good, but it’s not an indication that we are actually driving more safely,” Badry noted.
“BCHP officers wrote significantly more excessive speeding tickets in May 2026. Those tickets indicate a dangerous lack of judgment from many drivers.”
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The BCHP also provided a couple notable moments from its May enforcement, which included a three-for-one impound on Hwy 97 east of Falkland.
On May 24, a trio of motorcycles were stopped in the area as all three riders were travelling together at excessive speeds.
Also that weekend, BCHP set up check stops around the May Days Festival in Fruitvale that resulted in five impaired drivers being taken off the road.
In addition, those check stops resulted in the arrest of a high-risk domestic violence suspect, along with the removal of two unlicensed and speeding motorcyclists from the road.
