---
title: "BC Highway Patrol issued 1,193 fewer tickets in October 2026, cites staffing as a factor"
description: "BC Highway Patrol issued 6,695 tickets provincewide in October 2026, down from 7,888 in October 2025. Superintendent Lori Orstad says a drop in staffing levels appears to be one reason for the lower number."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/bc-highway-patrol-october-2026-tickets"
last_updated: "2026-11-10T19:42:02.853Z"
---

BC Highway Patrol issued 6,695 tickets provincewide in October 2026, down from 7,888 in the same month a year earlier, a drop of 1,193, CHEK News reported on November 10, 2026. Superintendent Lori Orstad of BC Highway Patrol said a drop in staffing levels appears to be one reason for the lower enforcement numbers.

On Vancouver Island, tickets fell from 1,598 in October 2025 to 1,315 in October 2026, a drop of 283, CHEK News reported.

The numbers come from BC Highway Patrol's annual Drive Relative to Conditions campaign, which runs each October and focuses on asking drivers to adjust their speed for weather, darkness and road conditions. BC Highway Patrol is the RCMP unit responsible for traffic enforcement on provincial highways outside city limits.

## What Orstad said

"We ask all drivers to understand that posted speed limits are created for ideal, dry, clear, daytime conditions," Orstad told CHEK News. "Safe driving always starts with staying sober and alert, but you also need to slow down for poor weather, darkness, or heavy traffic."

The CHEK News report does not say how much staffing has dropped or what is causing the change. It says the drop in enforcement numbers does not mean drivers are getting safer.

## Why speed matters on BC roads

ICBC data cited by CHEK News shows speed contributes to more than 2,400 crashes a year in British Columbia, resulting in an average of 91 deaths per year. With fewer patrol officers on provincial highways, Orstad's message to drivers: do not rely on enforcement, and slow down in poor conditions.

November is one of the wettest months of the year on much of BC's coast, and a third major storm system is moving through the province this week. Drivers should check road conditions before travelling on provincial highways at [drivebc.ca](https://www.drivebc.ca) and follow active travel advisories at the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's website.

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