Ontario street racing law nets nearly 8,000 in first year

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TORONTO, Ont. — A year after Ontario passed a law aimed at street racers that impounds the vehicles of drivers travelling 50 km/h over the speed limit, Ontario’s top cop wonders if the law is enough of a deterrent.

While an average of 18 people are charged under the law each day, the OPP is alarmed at the number of repeat offenders.

“Some people still don’t seem to get it,” OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said. “Four people have had their licence suspended and their vehicle impounded on the spot three times and another 42 have been charged twice. That’s unacceptable to me and my officers and should be unacceptable to the public.”

So far, 8,549 people have been charged under the legislation, with about 7,500 of those charges resulting from speeding by 50 km/h or more. The average age of drivers charged is 31, but 51.4% were 27 years old or younger. The most frequently occurring age of drivers charged under the law is just 21. The law also carriers a mandatory fine of between $2,000 and $10,000.

Despite the alarmingly high number of repeat offenders, Fantino pointed out road fatalities are down 34.2% this year.

“That’s a significant reduction and is related directly to the increased visibility and enforcement by the OPP,” Fantino said. “Our goal is to reduce fatalities and serious injuries and to make our roads even safer than they are now. We’ll do that one irresponsible driver at a time if necessary.”

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