An Edmonton man was stopped for speeding on a British Columbia highway while trying to conserve fuel. The incident occurred on August 16, just after 7 p.m., when B.C. highway patrol officers pulled over a grey minivan near Merritt. The vehicle was traveling at 136 km/h in a zone where the speed limit is 100 km/h.

The 36-year-old driver explained to the officers that he was nearly out of gas and was attempting to reach a gas station. Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of the B.C. highway patrol noted, "We explained to the driver that speeding dramatically worsens your fuel economy. And sure enough, the van ran out of gas at roadside."

In addition to speeding, the driver was cited for having too many passengers in the van, which is designed to hold only eight people. There were nine occupants in total. Of the passengers, only two were wearing seatbelts, and a three-year-old child was not secured in a car seat.

The driver received a total of $472 in fines for speeding, allowing a passenger to ride without a seatbelt, and for the improper restraint of a child. Three other passengers also received tickets for not wearing seatbelts.

After the van ran out of gas, the driver arranged for a taxi to bring fuel and transport one of the extra passengers. Cpl. McLaughlin emphasized the importance of adhering to speed limits, stating, "There are many reasons to slow down. You will very likely avoid police attention, and you will be much safer. If you get into a collision at high speed, every person who is not wearing a seatbelt will die. You do not want that on your conscience."