A driver who was clocked going 62 km/h over the speed limit in a Toyota sedan this month claimed to be taking the vehicle on a “test drive,” according to B.C. Highway Patrol. Authorities said the driver—a 30-year-old Vancouver man—was pulled over on the Okanagan Connector just east of Merritt on the evening of July 17. The Toyota was recorded doing 172 km/h in a 110 km/h zone, according to BCHP. “The driver told police that he and his girlfriend were on an overnight test-drive from Vancouver to Kelowna,” Sgt. Michael McLaughlin said in a statement. “The vehicle successfully demonstrated that it can speed and that it fits on the back of a tow truck.” The Vancouver resident was issued a $483 ticket for excessive speeding, will have to pay the towing costs, and also faces higher insurance premiums for at least three years as a high-risk driver—bringing his total costs close to $2,500, BCHP said. The cost of impounding the vehicle for seven days will be charged to its registered owner. B.C. Highway Patrol said it has “no information on whether the test driver actually purchased the Toyota.”
