Amanda Vaughan
Northern News Services
Published Friday, August 17, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - A man accused of travelling 172 kilometres per hour in a 70 km/h zone will have his day in court later this month.

If found guilty, 21-year-old Travis Wood will hold the dubious distinction of breaking the speed limit by the largest margin in Doug Gillard's 15 years with the city.

Gillard, manager of the Municipal Enforcement Division, said the fastest previous infraction was around 147 km/hr in a 70 km/h zone.

He said the RCMP may have seen higher speeds out on the highways, though he hadn't heard of it.

"I hate to use the word 'record,' it makes this seem like a good thing, which it definitely isn't," said Gillard of the offence.

The incident occurred at around 5:54 p.m. on Aug. 10 while Wood was travelling northbound on Highway 4near the entrance to the solid waste facility in a 2007 Ford Super Duty truck, according to Gillard.

He said that speeders caught going more than 51 km/hr over the posted speed limit don't get sent on their way with a ticket, they get an automatic court appearance in which a justice of the peace could fine them up to $2,000 and suspend their licence for as long as three years.

Municipal Enforcement has been very vigilant this summer in clamping down on speeding and other dangerous driving practices, working together with the RCMP to assist with their "Slow Down" campaign.

"I don't know what it takes for people to just slow down," said Gillard, adding that it's well-known that speed is a factor in a large portion of vehicle deaths and injuries.

"In a town the size of Yellowknife, by speeding you are only going to arrive somewhere a few seconds sooner," he said, adding that those few seconds aren't worth the potential of striking and killing someone, or injuring yourself or a loved one.

Wood is scheduled to appear before a Justice of the Peace on Aug. 28.