'N' driver caught speeding nearly 200 km/h on Vancouver Island highway

RCMP say a young Vancouver Island man had his vehicle impounded after driving nearly 200 km/h on a local highway earlier this month.
The RCMP BC Highway Patrol says the 20-year-old novice driver was spotted travelling about 194 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on Highway 18 near Lake Cowichan on March 16.
The vehicle was stopped and the driver was taken into custody under the Mental Health Act, according to RCMP. He was then taken to a local hospital.
The man's vehicle was impounded for seven days and the driver was served several tickets, including one for excessive speeding.
"The Cowichan Valley Highway (Hwy 18) usually has wildlife, such as elk, on or in close proximity to the roadway that become a visual distraction or something nobody wants to hit, especially in the dark," said Const. Mike Infanti with BC Highway Patrol Chemainus.
"Thankfully, this young man did not get to meet one of these animals or any other obstacles prior to police meeting up with him," he said in a release Monday.
Mounties are reminding drivers that March is "Distracted Driving Awareness Month" and that police across the province are looking out for distracted drivers or anyone showing dangerous driving behaviours.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hundreds of American firefighters arrive in Canada to help battle wildfires
Hundreds of American firefighters have recently arrived in Canada to help battle wildfires and more are on the way, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.

Can face masks help protect you from wildfire smoke? Health expert explains
An official recommendation to wear a mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is being echoed by health experts as plumes of smoke make their way across parts of Canada, causing poor air quality.
Here's how major cities in Canada and the U.S. look blanketed by wildfire smoke
Photos show smoke-filled skies in cities across Canada and the U.S. as air quality warnings were issued in wake of the hundreds of wildfires from Quebec and Ontario.
'Very, very hard to breathe': Experts call wildfires a 'major public health concern' for Canada
As forest fires rage across the country, experts are sounding the alarm over the physical and psychological impacts of the wildfires and saying that they pose a serious public health issue, which individuals and governments need to acknowledge and act upon.
WATCH | Rate hike 'may be the last straw' for some homeowners: mortgage broker
With the latest hike bringing Canada's key interest rates to levels not seen since 2001, one mortgage broker is warning that it may be 'the last straw' for some homeowners with variable mortgages.
Canadians more likely to support foreign interference inquiry than hearings: Nanos
Canadians are twice as likely to support a formal inquiry into foreign interference, as opposed to public hearings, according to new polling from Nanos Research for CTV News.
opinion | Eight takeaways from Prince Harry's seven hours on the witness stand
It's been a busy, tumultuous few days for Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex as he took his place on the witness stand in his trial against the Mirror Group Newspapers. Here are royal commentator Afua Hagan's top takeaways from his two-day grilling.
Calgary mass killer Matthew de Grood seeks 'absolute discharge'
The man who was found not criminally responsible in the stabbing deaths of five people at a house party in Brentwood more than nine years ago is seeking more freedoms.
Trudeau shows no interest in compromising with Meta, Google over online news bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is showing no interest in compromising with Meta and Google over a Liberal bill that would make them pay for Canadian journalism that helps the companies generate revenue.