Alberta Sheriffs say they are seeing a concerning increase in cases of extreme speeding across the province.

In a recent Facebook post, the Sheriffs said traffic has decreased on Alberta highway as people work from home and travel less amid the COVID-19 pandemic and directions from public health authorities.

However, the quieter roads appear to have encouraged some to push the boundaries when it comes to speed.

In the last week of April, Sheriffs issued 37 tickets to drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h.

This included:

  • 220 km/h in 110 km/h zone – in two different cases
  • 205 km/h in a 110/km zone
  • 189 km/h in a 110/km zone – the driver had a suspended licence and was also charged with having open liquor
  • 170 km/h in a 110 km/h zone – with a child in the front seat

Officers say motorists ticketed for exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 50 km/h receive an automatic court summons. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a $2,000 fine or six months in jail, or both. A conviction also carries six demerit points and the court also has an option to suspend the offender’s licence.

“Open roads are not an open invitation to break the law,” said the Alberta Sheriffs in a statement on Facebook. “The Sheriff Highway Patrol remains fully operational during the COVID-19 pandemic and our members continue to carry out their duty to keep everyone safe on Alberta’s roads.”

While the Sheriffs admit these are extreme examples, they said excessive speed poses a danger to motorists on Alberta’s roads. According to data from Alberta Transportation, more than 25 per cent of fatal collisions involved a motorist who was driving at an unsafe speed by either exceeding the posted speed limit or going too fast for the road conditions.