Many of us drive Highway 99 every day and know its curves, ramps, and changing conditions by heart. That familiarity is exactly why a recent report of a wrong-way driver near Squamish is worth our collective attention. Even brief confusion at a ramp or a missed sign can turn into a high-risk situation for everyone on the road. The takeaway for our community is less about one person’s experience and more about what we can do—together with the Province and police—to reduce the chance of this happening again.
A local resident recently experienced a wrong-way driving incident in the Squamish area. We are not sharing the individual’s detailed account, and we have requested official information from the Squamish RCMP and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure regarding any investigation or follow-up at the location. Formal comment was not available by publication time; we will update readers when confirmed details are provided.
Wrong-way driving is uncommon, but when it occurs the consequences can be severe because it creates conflicts at highway speeds. In British Columbia, the Ministry and police typically look at several factors after these reports: visibility of ramp and terminal signage, pavement arrows and markings, night-time reflectivity, lighting, and whether vegetation or snow has obscured sightlines. They also consider traffic patterns that may increase the likelihood of driver error, such as complex intersections or high visitor volumes, and whether additional, more conspicuous warnings are warranted. This is a routine, data-informed process the Ministry uses across the province to prioritize improvements where risk is higher.
It is also helpful to place this discussion in the broader picture of Sea to Sky safety. Many residents will remember the Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project, completed ahead of the 2010 Winter Games, which brought extensive upgrades to Highway 99 between West Vancouver and Whistler. Those works included adding median barriers on key segments, widening and realigning sections to improve sightlines, upgrading bridges, installing shoulder and centreline rumble strips, and enhancing signage. More recently, the corridor has also benefited from a Variable Speed Limit System that adjusts the posted speed to match weather, visibility, and traffic conditions. These measures have improved safety performance over time, but they do not eliminate the risks that come with high speeds, fast-changing weather, and a mix of local and visitor traffic.
Provincially, collision data and road safety research continue to show that speed, distraction, and impairment are major contributors to serious crashes. On the Sea to Sky, those risks can be compounded by glare at dawn and dusk, rain or snow that quickly reduces visibility, and ramp geometry that demands split-second decision-making. That’s why clear cues at the exact moment a driver is choosing a lane or merging—especially at night or in poor weather—matter so much. Signs must be unambiguous, pavement arrows must be fresh and reflective, and roadside objects like brush or temporary construction boards should not block sightlines.
International and Canadian best practices for preventing wrong-way entries are well established and widely used by transportation agencies, including in BC. They include mounting “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs so they are both high and low on the post for better visibility under headlights; adding larger, highly reflective arrows and “ONLY” legends on the pavement; placing reflectors and directional markers that immediately tell a driver they are facing opposing traffic; trimming vegetation and maintaining lighting; refreshing paint and thermoplastic markings before they fade; and, where data support the need, considering enhanced treatments such as LED-bordered signs or wrong-way detection systems that alert drivers and traffic managers in real time. None of these changes replace careful driving, but together they make it harder to make a bad turn and easier to quickly correct an honest mistake.
Local voices also have a role in shaping what happens next. Residents who regularly use the Garibaldi Highlands, Mamquam Road, Commercial Way, and Valleycliffe on- and off-ramps know where water tends to pool, where markings fade fastest, and where nighttime glare makes it harder to see. Reporting those observations to the Ministry and the highway maintenance contractor helps prioritize the basic fixes—cleaning, trimming, re-striping, and replacing worn signs—that prevent confusion. If you notice missing or obscured signage, damaged reflectors, or pavement arrows that have worn away, report it as soon as possible through the Ministry’s public contact channels. For immediate hazards on the road, call 911.
Police and road-safety advocates routinely emphasize what to do if you encounter a wrong-way driver. The guidance is simple: reduce speed, move as far right as safely possible, and pull onto the shoulder if you can. Do not try to overtake or confront the other driver. Call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so and provide the clearest location details you can, including the nearest interchange or kilometre marker, direction of travel, and a description of the vehicle. If you have dashcam footage, keep it—it can help investigators understand exactly where and how the confusion occurred.
Education also supports safer outcomes. Highway 99 is used by commuters, families on day trips, delivery drivers, tourists, and those heading to work in the corridor. Many drivers are new to the Sea to Sky and may be unfamiliar with local ramp layouts and the way conditions can shift from one valley to the next. Community messages that reinforce basics—obey ramp signage, watch for one-way arrows, slow down before decision points, and avoid last-second lane changes—make a difference. Seasonal reminders from the District of Squamish, RCMP, and the Ministry, shared through local channels that residents actually use, help keep good habits fresh in mind.
While enforcement cannot prevent every error, a visible presence near busy interchanges and during peak travel periods supports safe behaviour. RCMP in the Sea to Sky regularly take part in provincial enforcement campaigns targeting impaired and distracted driving. These efforts, paired with public reminders about designated drivers, safe speeds in adverse weather, and proper use of headlights, create a safer backdrop for everyone on the corridor. The aim is not more tickets—it is fewer preventable tragedies.
At the policy level, the conversation in Squamish can focus on a few practical steps. First, ask the Ministry to conduct a near-term audit of signage, markings, and sightlines at local interchanges, especially those with complex traffic patterns or higher volumes. Second, encourage a quick refresh of faded pavement arrows and reflective markers before peak spring and summer travel. Third, consider targeted, time-limited awareness messages—digital signs, social posts, or roadside changeable message boards—at the start of high-traffic weekends to remind drivers to watch for ramp signage. And finally, maintain a clear public channel for residents to flag problem spots, with feedback closed-looped so people know when an issue has been fixed.
Squamish has grown quickly, and Highway 99 connects us to work, recreation, and family up and down the corridor. Keeping it safe is a shared job. Most of the tools we need are straightforward: visible signs, fresh markings, consistent maintenance, attentive driving, and timely reporting when something looks off. They add up.
We have asked the Squamish RCMP whether any enforcement or public-safety steps will follow the reported wrong-way incident, and we have also asked the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure if a signage and pavement-marking review is planned for the affected ramps. We will update this story as soon as confirmed information is available. For official road conditions and incident updates, visit DriveBC.ca. Information about provincial highway safety programs is available through the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Local residents can also follow the Squamish RCMP and the District of Squamish for community advisories and seasonal reminders.
