A Vancouver driver caught speeding had quite the excuse for what happened, according to the BC Highway Patrol (BCHP).
On July 17, 2026, at 6:15 p.m., a grey Toyota was stopped for excessive speeding. A BCHP laser showed the vehicle travelling at 172 km/h in a 100 km/h zone. The driver was stopped on Highway 97C near Eklhart, B.C.
According to BCHP Sergeant Michael McLaughlin, the driver said that he and his girlfriend were on an “overnight test-drive” from Vancouver to Kelowna.
“The vehicle successfully demonstrated that it can speed and that it fits on the back of a tow truck,” McLaughlin said in a release.
The driver was stopped more than 300 km/h away from the dealership where his journey began.
The 30-year-old Vancouver man faces several violations for his speeding test-drive trip, including a $483 fine for excessive speed, the cost of a tow truck and seven-day impound, and at least three years of high-risk driver premiums.
“At the time of writing, BC Highway Patrol has no information on whether the test-driver actually purchased the Toyota,” BCHP added.
The highway patrol has made several speeding incidents public over the past few weeks.
One of BCHP’s recent posts went viral and featured a motorcyclist doing stunts right in front of an officer.
Motorcycle gets impounded after rider wheelies, on video, in front of BC Highway Patrolhttps://t.co/j4OvbWqMKq pic.twitter.com/90CEpbN4cD
— BC Highway Patrol (@BCHwyPatrol) July 24, 2026
That post has garnered hundreds of comments and over 250,000 views.
In a separate incident, an Alberta driver was caught travelling 150 km/h over the speed limit in B.C.
After that incident, BHCP thanked members of the public “whose assistance was instrumental during this investigation. Dangerous driving affects everyone who shares our roads, and the public’s willingness to report what they see remains an essential part of keeping our communities safe.”