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can cvse give speeding tickets

Can CVSE give speeding tickets?

You might have seen them in your rear-view mirror, parked on the shoulder of the highway or even flying past with their lights flashing. They look like an ordinary RCMP vehicle, but on closer inspection, the letters on the side say, “CVSE”. It begs the question: are they cops? Can CVSE give speeding tickets? And what’s to stop you from tearing it up and throwing it right in their faces with zero repercussions?

What the heck is CVSE?

CVSE stands for Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement. It is a branch of B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure that promotes compliance of safety regulations within the commercial transport sector. Its aim is to increase road safety and protecting the public, the environment and transportation infrastructure.

CVSE powers

Although the main scope of the CVSE is the commercial transportation sector, its personnel can enforce Motor Vehicle Act regulations for both commercial and non-commercial vehicles. They are typically not interested in non-commercial vehicles, however, they are frequently enlisted to assist police forces in traffic blitzes and safety inspection roadblocks in B.C.

So can CVSE give speeding tickets?

CVSE enforcement personnel have the authority to enforce Motor Vehicle Act regulations, including those that govern speeding in the Province. This means that, yes, if they wanted to they can issue speeding tickets or assist the RCMP in issuing a violation ticket.

So if you see a CVSE vehicle, treat it the same way that you would treat a police car.

Should I pull over for a CVSE vehicle?

Yes. If you get pulled over by CVSE you must stop, regardless of whether you are driving a commercial vehicle or not. They might want to issue a violation ticket, inspect the safety of your vehicle or simply tell you to get something fixed.

If you are in traffic and you see a CVSE in your rear-view with its lights flashing, you must pull over as you would any other emergency vehicle.

What to do if you get a speeding ticket from CVSE

A speeding ticket issued by CVSE enforcement personnel, although rare, is every bit as valid as an RCMP-issued ticket. Fortunately, that means it can also be challenged just like any other ticket. If you dispute it, you can ask for disclosure of the CVSE’s evidence. If they made an error or failed to prove you were speeding, you can get it overturned.

The BC Driving Lawyers are experienced at spotting these mistakes and they can help you to dispute your speeding ticket.