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Taxi among handful of cars impounded for excessive speeding

Five cars – including an on-duty taxi – were impounded last weekend after they were caught travelling at excessive speeds along Willis Point Road in Saanich.

Police say the 60 km/h stretch of road on the approach to Durrance Lake is a problem area that's frequently used as a drag strip.

On Saturday and Sunday, officers handed out a number of tickets, including five for excessive speeding. Two of those tickets were given to drivers travelling at least twice the speed limit, including one driver clocked at 137 km/h.

The taxi driver, though on duty, was not carrying any passengers when he was caught for excessive speed.

Under the new dangerous driving legislation, excessive speeding tickets – drivers clocked travelling more than 40 km higher than the posted speed limit – also come with an immediate, seven-day impound of the vehicle.

Last summer, officers handed out 49 tickets in the same area, including 10 for excessive speeding, but that was prior to the legislation change.

"Unlike last year, if you're caught now and charged with excessive speeding, it carries a mandatory impound,” Sgt. Dean Jantzen said. “And we will be out there, in the afternoons, on weekends, when it's busy up there, targeting this stretch of road," he said.

kslavin@saanichnews.com