How was a man with 20 impaired driving convictions able to get insurance in B.C.?

ICBC is facing questions about why it allows prohibited drivers to insure vehicles in their names, following a man’s dubious distinction of amassing what’s believed to be the most impaired driving convictions in Canadian history.

Roy Heide was a prohibited driver and had no licence at the time of the August 2022 crash that netted him his 21st impaired driving conviction — yet Abbotsford police say he was able to insure his motorcycle with ICBC as the registered owner.

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“I think it’s a reasonable question, why someone who can’t drive their vehicle would be able to purchase insurance,” said Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada CEO Steve Sullivan.

Police say many B.C. prohibited drivers have vehicles registered to them. Often, other family members are using these vehicles.

“Most of these chronic, prohibited drivers who are facing 25-year bans, court ordered driving bans historically show a very high disregard to any kind of prohibitions and use that easy access to just hop in the vehicle and then drive in our community,” said Const. Art Stele with the Abbotsford Police Department.

“And we are seeing it more and more pose a great risk to both the safety of pedestrians, safety of other motorists and themselves,” he added.

“If you’re the only person who has access to that vehicle, I’m curious why you would need insurance,” Sullivan said in reference to prohibited drivers.

Global News asked ICBC why prohibited drivers can still insure vehicles in their names but the insurance corporation did not make anyone available for an interview on Tuesday.

In a statement that did not fully answer our question, ICBC said “insuring a vehicle is the responsibility of the registered owner of the vehicle rather than the driver and therefore a valid driver’s licence isn’t required to obtain insurance.”

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Even if they cannot legally drive, high-risk drivers pay more for insurance in B.C. through a “Driver Risk Premium” if they have one or more driving-related Criminal Code convictions, two or more roadside suspensions, one or more 10-point Motor Vehicle Act convictions, and/or one or more excessive speeding convictions.

Global News spoke with a man who said he rented a room in Abbotsford to Heide last year.

He did not want to be identified for safety reasons but said he later evicted the 66-year-old because he drank like a fish, and “when he drinks, he’s nuts.”

“We got rid of him as fast as we could,” the former acquaintance added.

“I think he has shown that the only thing that’s going to stop him from driving is the inability to drive and so, for a certain extent that means removing him from society and a longer prison sentence,” said Sullivan.

Heide is currently serving a prison sentence of four years and 354 days.