ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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Members of the Orillia detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged three drivers under the recently changed racing/stunt driving section of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA).
On July 1, 2021, two changes to the HTA took effect as part of the Moving Ontarians More Safely (MOMS) act, which received royal assent on June 3, 2021. The first change is an increase in the vehicle impoundment period to 14 days. The second 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 now face racing/stunt driving charges.
On July 1, 2021, shortly before 3 p.m., an officer was conducting radar speed enforcement on Line 3, Oro-Medonte, when a vehicle was observed travelling at a high rate of speed in a 50 km/h zone. The vehicle was subsequently stopped and the driver, a 57-year-old Oro-Medonte man, was charged with Race a motor vehicle - excessive speed.
Shortly after 11 p.m. the same day, an officer observed a vehicle departing at a high rate of speed. The officer followed the vehicle on Uhthoff Line, Severn, and, utilizing a radar, determined that the vehicle was travelling over 50 km/h above the 80 km/h speed limit. The vehicle was stopped and the 17-year-old, female driver was charged with race a motor vehicle - excessive speed.
On July 3, 2021, approximately 10 a.m., an officer was on patrol on Horseshoe Valley Road, Oro-Medonte, when a vehicle was spotted travelling at over 40 km/h over the posted 70 km/h speed limit. The vehicle was stopped and the driver, a 27-year-old male from Oro-Medonte, was charged with race a motor vehicle - excessive speed.
Aggressive driving, including speeding, is dangerous and is a leading causal factor in fatal motor vehicle collisions on OPP patrolled roads and highways.
The Orillia OPP is committed to serving our province, including the Townships of Oro-Medonte, Ramara and Severn and the City of Orillia, by protecting its citizens, upholding the law and preserving public safety. If you have any information about crime in our community please contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or report minor occurrences online here. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit your information online if you have information on any crime. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display and you will remain anonymous. Being anonymous, you will not testify in court and your information may lead to a cash reward of up to $2,000.
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