June 26, 2025
RED FM News Desk
SURREY, BC – Police in British Columbia attempting to tackle widespread online misinformation from “disreputable websites” that are falsely claiming major changes are coming to traffic laws across Canada including a claim suggesting that school-zone speed limits will be enforced 24 hours a day nationwide starting July 1.
“These websites are completely wrong, and social media and AI are amplifying the misinformation,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of the B.C. Highway Patrol in a statement on Thursday.
He emphasized that “school zones are a provincial jurisdiction. There are no sweeping changes coming for Canada.” Currently, all school zone regulations in B.C. are in effect between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., unless traffic signs specifically indicate extended times.
The B.C. Highway Patrol also notes that some websites spreading these false claims about 24-hour school zones are simultaneously promoting other misinformation, including fabricated reports about lower legal blood-alcohol limits for drivers and dramatic increases in fines for distracted driving.
The B.C. Highway Patrol urges anyone viewing traffic-related content online to critically assess the source of the information. “Traffic law announcements should come from your provincial government. A website you’ve never heard of, or Ned from Facebook, are not reliable sources,” the statement advised. The Patrol added that “when Canada-wide traffic changes are being implemented on short notice, and for no apparent reason, that is a red flag for savvy internet users.”
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