Waterloo regional police say a new penalty introduced by the province April 1 to help curb an alarming increase in the number of stunt driving charges across the province won't change their efforts to target the "fatal four" offences and remove dangerous drivers from area roads.
Constable Bradley Hickey said police laid 463 stunt driving charges in the region in 2021, an increase of 62 per cent over the 285 charges laid in 2020.
The five-year average between 2015 and 2019 is 137 stunt driving charges each year.
“Road safety is a priority as we continue to target dangerous driving behaviours including impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding, aggressive driving, and failing to wear seatbelts,” Hickey said.
“These behaviours put not only the offender at risk, but the whole community.”
TSU officer conducting speed enforcement in Branchton @northdumfries stopped this 21 year old driver for Stunt Driving/ Speeding 106km/hr in a 60km/hr zone. Vehicle and License seized. Court Date issued. @WRPSToday pic.twitter.com/3d2RP8sJs0
— WRPS Traffic Unit (@WRPS_Traffic) April 11, 2022
Anyone caught driving 40 km/h or more above the speed limit, where the speed limit is set at less than 80 km/h, will face stunt driving charges in Ontario.
Stunt driving is a growing concern for Waterloo Regional Police as charges continue to rise.
Where the speed limit is above 80 km/h, a driver can face stunt driving charges if they are caught travelling more than 50 km/h above the limit.
Stunt drivers can also face a 30-day roadside driver’s licence suspension, and a 14-day vehicle impoundment.
And as of April 1, anyone caught stunt driving must complete a driver improvement course, or lose their licence.
The course must be completed from a list of government-approved companies.
In Ontario, the maximum fine for stunt driving is $10,000 and up to six months in prison.
In 2021, speed related deaths in Ontario reached a 10-year high with 81 fatalities.
In Waterloo Region, overall road safety charges increased by four per cent with 26,180 charges in 2020 to 27,261 charges in 2021.
"Fatal four" offence charges, which include speed, impaired driving, distracted driving and seatbelts, increased by 20 per cent in 2021.
In response to growing concern about speed-related death and injury on Ontario highways, the province introduced the ‘Moving Ontarians More Safely Act’ in 2021, increasing penalties and lowering speed limits in certain areas in an effort to reduce stunt driving.
Hickey said the new amendments will not change local enforcement practices.
“Our Traffic Services Unit and the Special Enforcement Team continue to work with our policing partners to make Waterloo Region roads the safest in the province,” he said.
