8 impaired drivers caught on New Year's morning in Abbotsford, B.C., police say

Abbotsford police say they pulled eight impaired drivers off the road over 2.5 hours on the morning of Jan. 1, 2025. (Abbotsford Police Department)

For some partiers in B.C.'s Fraser Valley, New Year's Eve celebrations lasted well into Wednesday morning – until police pulled them off the road for drunk driving.

The Abbotsford Police Department said officers nabbed no fewer than eight impaired drivers who were out in the community between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

"All these drivers stopped today would have been drinking overnight and early morning. All would have known they had too much to drink and should not be out driving," Sgt. Paul Walker told CTV News, in an email.

Several of the drivers were either spotted drifting into different lanes or doing illegal U-turns. One was pulled over for excessive speeding – going as fast as 93 km/h in a 50 km/h zone on Lefeuvre Road – at around 8:49 a.m., Walker said.

While one of the drivers caught during the 2.5-hour period was impaired by drugs, most were under the influence of alcohol – including three who were stopped after leaving different liquor stores in Abbotsford.

Walker said the drivers were not nabbed as part of targeted New Year's Day enforcement operation, but through everyday policework, mostly conducted by the department's traffic unit.

"Road safety is vital to ensure the safety of all road users, and we need these drivers who are making these poor choices to remember that driving is a privilege and not a right," Walker said. "Our officers are out conducting enforcement daily ensuring we all get home safe."