Toronto police report more speeding, stunt driving during COVID-19 pandemic

TORONTO — There may be fewer drivers on the streets as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic but Toronto police are handing out more speeding citations than usual.

According to data provided to CP24, Toronto police officers issued 2,727 citations for speeding from March 15 to March 31, which covers most of the time that the province has been under a state of emergency.

The number of speeding tickets is up roughly 35 per cent from the same time period in 2019.

“I would like to think that if you are out there it is for essential travel only first and foremost, however if you are using the road and you are a driver you need to drive within the limits of the road,” Sgt. Jason Kraft told CP24 on Thursday morning.

“The Toronto Police Service are still out there. They are doing their best to be safe and reduce contact with the community; however we are still enforcing the law.”

While police have seen a notable rise in speeding citations locally, the rise in stunt driving offences is even more significant. ,

Toronto police issued 65 tickets to drivers travelling in excess of 50 km/h over the speed limit over the last two weeks compared to 22 during the same time period in 2019. That translates into a 195 per cent increase.

Similar increases have also been reported elsewhere.

York Regional Police say that they have issued 60 per cent more tickets for stunt driving offences in March then they did during one year prior.

On Ontario Provincial Police-patrolled roads, meanwhile, the numbers are mostly the same when compared to 2019. OPP officers issued 263 stunt driving citations in March compared to 260 in 2019.