Shambhala Music Festival prompts RCMP to increase traffic safety enforcement
By Nelson Daily Staff
Motoring public travelling Highway 3 near Salmo will notice an increase of police due to the Shambhala Music Festival said Sgt. Chad Badry of the West Kootenay Traffic Services.
“Members of the driving public should expect increased traffic on our local roads particularly in the Salmo area where the Shambhala Music Festival brings more than 15,000 people to the area,” Badry explained.
“There will be enhanced traffic safety enforcement during the event, emphasizing zero tolerance for impaired and unsafe driving, as well as minimizing traffic congestion and targeting violators of the Motor Vehicle Act.”
Badry said RCMP would like to emphasize that public safety on our roads is of the utmost importance throughout the course of Shambhala particularly because of the increased illegal substance use that police typically see in these types of private events. Impaired driving is one of the leading causes of criminal death in Canada.
Sergeant Chad Badry with West Kootenay Traffic Services provided the advice that “Festival attendees should ensure that they are well rested and not under the influence of any drugs or alcohol prior to driving.”
Shambhala Music Festival, beginning Thursday, is an annual electronic music festival held during the first week of August at the Salmo River Ranch, a 500-acre farm. The festival lasts four days and three nights and offers a mix of music and art in nature.
