Drivers in Ontario now face the risk of being slapped with stunt driving charges on some roads. Ontario made changes to how fast a driver can go over speed limit on some roads to be considered stunt driving.
The changes were made under the Moving Ontarians More Safety Act and it came into effect on July 1. Anyone caught driving at 40 km/h or more above the regulated speed limit where the maximum is less than 80 km/h will face stunt driving charges. Before the changes were made, drivers would have to be busted when going above 50 km/h for it to considered stunt driving on those roads.
However, the rules for highways or routes where the speed limit is 80 km/h or more remains the same. There are now stiffer penalty for drivers caught stunt driving.
Motorists now face the possibility of facing a 30-day roadside driver’s licence suspension as well as a 14-day vehicle impoundment. Prior to these changes, the penalty was 7 days.
Additionally, the government of Ontario is introducing an escalating post-conviction driver’s licence suspensions for drivers convicted of stunt driving.
●For a first offence, a minimum of one to three years
●For a second offence, a minimum of three to ten years
●For a third offence, a lifetime suspension that may be reduced at a later date to be established by regulation, and
●For fourth and subsequent offences, a lifetime driver’s licence suspension.
John Tory, the Mayor of Toronto, said in his statement that he supports the changes to stunt driving laws.
“High-risk driving and stunt racing is an epidemic and is at odds with the city’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, and we must do even more to create safer streets,” Tory said.
There was a 90% increase in racing and stunt driving charges from January 2021 to May 2021 compared to 2019. The police issued up to 276 racing and/or stunt driving tickets during that time, which is nearly 130 tickets more than they issued during those month in 2019.
