Northern Ont. road safety blitz nabs 8 stunt drivers in 5 days

North Bay OPP nabbed 8 stunt drivers in 5 days, including one doing 172 km/h in an 80 zone. Charges bring automatic 30-day licence suspension & 14-day impound.

The North Bay OPP Detachment, along with officers from surrounding detachments, have laid eight stunt driving charges in five days as part of ongoing traffic enforcement efforts aimed at improving road safety across the region.

The charges were laid between April 24 and April 28.

OPP said officers observed and stopped multiple vehicles travelling at excessive speeds on Highways 11, 17 and 11/17 within North Bay and surrounding jurisdictions – including Bonfield, East Ferris, Calvin Township, Powassan and Papineau-Cameron Township.

8 stunt driving charges in 5 days

• April 24 – A vehicle was stopped travelling 152 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 17 in Bonfield.
• April 24 – A vehicle was stopped travelling 131 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on Highway 11/17 in North Bay.
• April 26 – A vehicle was stopped travelling 142 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 17 in East Ferris.
• April 27 – A vehicle was stopped travelling 141 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 17 in Calvin Township.
• April 27 – A vehicle was stopped travelling 166 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 11 in Powassan.
• April 28 – A vehicle was stopped travelling 142 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 17 in Papineau-Cameron Township.
• April 28 – A vehicle was stopped travelling 153 km/h in a 90 km/h zone on Highway 17 in Papineau-Cameron Township.
• April 28 – A vehicle was stopped travelling 172 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on Highway 11/17 in North Bay.

Stunt driving thresholds and penalties

Under the Highway Traffic Act, stunt driving is defined by specific speed thresholds, depending on the posted speed limit of the roadway. On roads with a posted speed limit of 80 km/h or higher, a driver can be charged with stunt driving for travelling 50 km/h or more over the posted speed limit. On roads with a posted speed limit below 80 km/h, a stunt driving charge applies when a driver travels 40 km/h or more over the posted speed limit.

Upon being charged with stunt driving, drivers face immediate roadside sanctions, including a 30-day driver’s licence suspension and a 14-day vehicle impoundment.

“If convicted in court, penalties may include fines ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, up to six months in jail, and a licence suspension of up to two years for a first offence, with escalating penalties for subsequent convictions,” said police in a news release.

OPP also noted that excessive speed remains one of the leading contributing factors in serious and fatal motor vehicle collisions and significantly reduces a driver’s ability to react to changing road conditions.

“Slow down (and) drive safe,” added OPP Const. Kyler Brouwer in a related social media post.

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