A 45-year-old Tesla owner has been ticketed after two witnesses reported seeing a driver who appeared to be asleep behind the wheel on Highway 1 in North Vancouver.
The incident happened shortly before 3:30 p.m. on August 11 near the Mountain Highway interchange, according to BC Highway Patrol.
Police said the two witnesses were travelling together. The passenger recorded video showing the driver of a white Tesla with her eyes closed. Using the witnesses’ description and the video, officers tracked the vehicle’s registered owner to her home in Maple Ridge.
The owner matched the description of the suspected driver and was issued a $368 ticket for driving without due care and attention under Section 144(1)(a) of the BC Motor Vehicle Act.
“Police will not debate the merits of self-driving technology with sleeping drivers. It’s illegal in BC, and we’re here to enforce the law and keep roads safe,” said Sgt. Michael McLaughlin of BC Highway Patrol.
McLaughlin said driver inattention is a major factor in serious and fatal crashes, adding that motorists must remain fully focused and alert behind the wheel of any vehicle in B.C.
The allegation has not been tested in court.
