Learner driver gets brand-new family SUV impounded for excessive speed on the Coquihalla

COQUIHALLA HIGHWAY – The BC Highway Patrol says a 20-year-old learner driver got her family’s brand-new SUV impounded for excessive speed on the Coquihalla Highway earlier this month.

BCHP spokesperson Corporal Michael McLaughlin says a 2026 Honda Pilot was stopped on Highway 5 south of Merritt on July 11, 2026, after police clocked the vehicle at a speed of 168 km/h in a posted 120 zone.

Police say the learner driver had five passengers, which normally constitutes a violation of the single passenger allowed by law, but all five passengers were family members. Police do say an unlimited number of family passengers is allowed by the BC Motor Vehicle Act.

“This is a reminder to everyone that just because something is technically legal, that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea,” says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. “Learner drivers do not have the demonstrated skills to safely drive a large number of passengers- which is something this driver exemplified when she chose to speed.”

The Williams Lake woman was issued:

• Excessive speed (between 41 and 60 over the limit), section 148(1) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act for a fine of $368,
• The cost of a tow truck and a seven-day impound,
• At least three years of high-risk driver premiums that will bring the total costs close to $2,500.

The cost of the seven-day impound is usually the responsibility of the registered owner (RO) of the vehicle, Corporal McLaughlin pointed out, but since the registered owner is the driver’s father, the family may negotiate another arrangement among themselves.