HURON COUNTY – The Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has a straightforward message to the aggressive drivers out there – slow down.
They also say those who choose to drive like they’re on a race track will face some stiff penalties.
On July 1, two new changes to the Highway Traffic Act under the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act took effect.
The first change is an increase in the previous seven-day vehicle impoundment to 14 days. The second change is the introduction of a lower speed threshold for street racing offenders on municipal roads. On roads with a posted speed limit of less than 80 km/h, drivers caught travelling 40 km/h over the speed limit will face racing/stunt driving charges. The previous limit was 50 km/h over the speed limit).
Despite the stiff penalties in place, police say some drivers are not getting the message to slow down. Huron County OPP has seen a 75 per cent increase in the number of drivers charged with stunt driving/racing this year compared to this time last year. Thirty-five drivers have been charged with stunt driving/racing this year, compared to 20 at this time in 2020.
“It is undeniable, speed and aggressive driving is dangerous. Every year too many people die on roadways in collisions as a result of aggressive driving. Over the last three years speed has become the top contributing factor in road fatalities,” said Inspector Jason Younan, Huron County OPP detachment commander. “We urge aggressive drivers to change their behaviour and do their part to keep everyone safe. The way you drive really is everyone’s business. Should you choose to drive aggressively and ignore speed limits expect to be stopped and charged accordingly.”
An analysis of the stunt drivers charged year-to-date year indicates the overwhelming majority of drivers are young (66 per cent are under the age of 30) and male (77 per cent). Also, 60 per cent of the drivers charged in Huron County are not residents of Huron County.
