Squamish residents care deeply about getting around safely, whether it’s the daily commute on Highway 99 or a quick trip through neighbourhood streets. A recent wrong-way driving incident involving a local resident has renewed conversations here about how we prevent high-risk situations, how we respond when they happen, and what changes could make our roads more forgiving when someone makes a mistake.
At the time of publication, official details about the specific incident were not available. We’ve asked Squamish RCMP and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) for comment and will share updates when they’re confirmed. Even without those particulars, the community discussion is timely. Wrong-way driving is uncommon but extremely dangerous, and it tends to reveal places where signs, lighting, lane markings, or geometry could be clearer—especially in darkness or heavy rain, when many of us are on the road during winter months.
The Sea to Sky corridor has a unique mix of traffic: commuters, shift workers, service vehicles, visitors, and people travelling to medical and school appointments. Conditions can change quickly in fall and winter with heavy rain, fog, snow on higher elevations, and glare from wet pavement. Highway 99 has seen substantial improvements over the years, including upgrades completed for the 2010 Olympics and, more recently, intersection and safety work at Britannia Beach. Still, long stretches remain undivided, and several interchanges and access points require drivers to make quick decisions in low light or poor visibility. Those are the moments when clear signs and markings can make the most difference.
MoTI sets highway standards and signs ramps with “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” messaging under provincial guidelines. The ministry’s maintenance contractors are responsible for keeping those signs visible, replacing damaged posts, clearing vegetation, and refreshing pavement markings. On Highway 99, reflective lane lines, rumble strips, and delineators are used to help keep drivers in the correct lane and to provide early feedback if a vehicle begins to drift. If you notice a damaged or obscured sign, faded markings, or lighting that’s out, you can report it to the provincial maintenance contractor through MoTI’s “report a problem” channels or via DriveBC. Timely reports from residents often prompt quicker fixes.
Enforcement and education are the other pillars of prevention. Squamish RCMP and the Integrated Road Safety Unit conduct regular enforcement along Highway 99 focused on speed, distraction, impairment, and aggressive driving. Seasonal campaigns such as CounterAttack and winter driving awareness are reminders to slow down, use proper winter tires where required by law, and plan for more stopping distance. The District of Squamish also supports community Speed Watch volunteers and accepts requests for targeted enforcement on local streets through its community policing office. These initiatives are not about assigning blame after the fact; they aim to reduce the chance of a serious collision in the first place.
Data is an important part of the conversation. ICBC publishes collision information through an online crash map that residents can review to see where incidents tend to cluster over time. Looking at patterns—near ramps, at busy intersections, and along curves—helps inform where added measures could help. While a single wrong-way incident does not define a location, it can be the prompt for authorities to check if signs, arrows, and roadway lighting are as clear as they should be.
There are practical steps that can be considered locally without waiting for a major construction project. These include reviewing interchange and ramp signage for visibility in rain and darkness; adding larger or supplementary “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs where warranted; strengthening pavement guidance with fresh arrows and reflective markers; and improving lighting at decision points. In some places, jurisdictions deploy enhanced treatments such as red retroreflective strips on the backs of signs that face the wrong-way approach or, in higher-risk locations, detection systems that trigger flashing warnings. Those technologies are not standard everywhere and require site-by-site assessment, but they are tools in the toolkit.
The District of Squamish, for its part, regularly updates transportation plans and applies traffic-calming guidelines on local streets. That work includes speed humps, curb extensions, and crosswalk improvements where data support them. When issues touch Highway 99, the District typically coordinates with MoTI, because the highway and its ramps are provincial. A joint review—bringing together Squamish RCMP, District transportation staff, MoTI engineers, and the highway maintenance contractor—can be an efficient way to identify any quick, low-cost fixes alongside longer-term options.
Residents have a role too. Defensive driving remains the strongest everyday safeguard. That means reducing speed in poor visibility, scanning for ramp and direction signs rather than relying entirely on navigation apps, and being mindful of temporary changes during construction or detours. If you ever feel uncertain about a confusing layout, the safest choice is to slow down, follow the arrows and posted guidance, and use a nearby safe turn to reorient rather than making sudden moves.
If you encounter or suspect a wrong-way driver on Highway 99 or any route in town, treat it as an emergency. The recommended response is to safely pull over or exit the roadway if you can, call 911, and provide clear details: your location, the direction of travel, vehicle description if known, and anything notable about the conditions. Do not attempt to flag down or stop the vehicle yourself, and avoid sudden lane changes that could create new risks. Your call helps RCMP respond quickly and gives highway operators a chance to warn others if needed.
It’s also helpful to report near-misses or confusing spots; what may feel like a “close call” can be valuable information for engineers. A short note to the District for local streets, or to MoTI for highway ramps and interchanges, can trigger a site check to confirm that signs, reflectors, and arrows are in the right place and in good condition. In a growing community like ours, small adjustments—an added sign, a brighter shield, newly refreshed paint—often prevent the next incident.
While we await official comment on the recent incident, the takeaway for Squamish is straightforward: we can use moments like this to make practical improvements, support consistent enforcement, and renew our own driving habits. Most wrong-way events are the result of confusion rather than intent. That’s why simple, visible, redundant guidance matters. The more we build a system that anticipates human error, the safer we all are—locals and visitors alike.
We will update this story if Squamish RCMP or MoTI confirm details about the incident or announce specific steps in response. In the meantime, residents can follow DriveBC for live road information, contact the Ministry’s maintenance contractor to report signage or marking issues, and reach out to the District of Squamish with local street safety concerns. For emergencies or an active wrong-way driver, call 911 immediately.
Road safety is a shared responsibility. With steady attention to clear signage, thoughtful design, enforcement, and everyday care behind the wheel, Squamish can continue moving toward fewer crashes and safer trips for everyone.
Editor’s note: Official comment from Squamish RCMP and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is pending. We will share updates as soon as information is confirmed. The Ministry has advised generally that they review highway locations for safety improvements on an ongoing basis.
