Street Racing is a Big Concern for Police Throughout Ontario

June 11, 2019, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Officers in Minto and Guelph area recently laid 11 street racing charges. Near Teviotdale last month an officer clocked a 34 year old female travelling 150 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. Her driver’s licence and car were seized on the spot for 7 days and she appears in court in August charged with racing.

Similar stories come from the Hanlon Expressway in Guelph where drivers were clocked travelling over 130 km/h in an 80 km/h zone. Police warn of the extreme hazards posed by these irresponsible drivers, not only to themselves but to the cars around them, but to possible farm vehicles, slow traffic, and pedestrians and cyclists in the area.

Experts state that the chances of surviving a crash at these high speeds are extremely low. The chances of destroying your car and your life are extremely high. They rocommend that if you want to drive fast you head to a private track or raceway where you can do so under safe and controlled conditions.

The consequences of being caught racing are extremely high. Your car and licence are immediately seized. You are responsible to pay impound and towing fees to have your vehicle returned. You will have to pay to have your licence returned. The fines and points assigned upon conviction will result in an enormous jump in your insurance rates.

The MTO has published an information bulletin on Dealing with Particular Situations and states the following:

Sanctions - dangerous behaviours

Our government is committed to protecting Ontarians from individuals who choose to engage in street racing, driving contests or driving stunts. Drivers who are involved in street racing or aggressive-driving behaviours can face tough sanctions:

• An immediate seven-day licence suspension and seven-day vehicle impoundment at roadside when a police officer has reasonable and probable grounds to believe the offence was committed

If convicted:

• Fines from $2,000 to $10,000
• Courts can impose a driver licence suspension of up to 10 years for a second conviction within 10 years
• The accumulation of six demerit points, a maximum licence suspension of two years for a first conviction and a maximum six months in jail.

The use of a connected nitrous oxide system while driving on a highway is prohibited, and the definition of a “stunt” includes speeding at 50 km/h or more above the posted limit.

The risk of a fatality or serious injury is almost five times greater for vehicles crashing at 50 km/h or more above the posted limit on a highway with a posted limit of 100 km/h. The increase in risk is even greater on roads with lower posted limits. For example, on roads with a posted limit of 60 km/h or less, the risk of a fatality or serious injury is almost eight times greater for vehicles colliding at 50 km/h or more above the posted limit.

Other dangerous behaviours are also now defined as stunts: driving in such a way that prevents another vehicle from passing, intentionally cutting off another vehicle, or intentionally driving too close to another vehicle, pedestrian or fixed object.

For information on the regulation, you can visit the following website https://www.ontario.ca/laws/ and search under current consolidated law for Highway Traffic Act - O. Reg. 339/94

 

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.