Feeling the need for speed? Think twice before taking up resources during pandemic, OPP says

While many people are cooped up at home trying to follow physical distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic, a few drivers have been taking advantage of the clear roads surrounding the city by driving at excessive speeds. 

Provincial police from the Middlesex County detachment are asking drivers to respect the posted speed limits on the roads in an effort to keep the community safe and reduce the need to call an already taxed emergency response team. 

In the span of three days, officers charged three people with stunt driving north of London on Richmond street. 

The latest was a 24-year-old driver travelling at 170 kilometres per hour on Richmond Street near Elginfield, north of the city, on Saturday night. That's almost double the speed limit on that road. 

"Our roadways aren't race tracks," said OPP Const. Adam Crewdson.

"When it comes to wanting to get out because of the situation we're in right now, you still have to drive responsibly," he said.

This month, officers at Middlesex County's OPP detachment charged nine people with stunt driving, which is an average amount considering 11 people were charged in March of 2019 and seven were charged in March of 2018. 

However, Crewdson said drivers wanting to take advantage of empty streets during the COVID-19 pandemic should think twice.

"You're gonna be taking emergency services — fire, police and paramedics — out to have them responding to crashes if you're not driving responsibly."

Other police forces across the province have noticed an increase in stunt driving since the pandemic earlier this month. In Ottawa, in just the course of one week, 15 drivers were charged.

In Ontario, drivers charged with stunt driving automatically have their licence and vehicle seized for seven days. If convicted, they can be fined anywhere from $2000 to $10,000, including up to six months of jail time.

Unlike Ottawa, London police say they haven't seen an increase or decrease in stunt driving during the last few weeks.

"We haven't noticed a change in crime patterns yet," London Police Service Const. Sandasha Bough said. 

However, she said crime analysts are monitoring what's happening in the city to see if the COVID-19 pandemic has had any effect on crime.

"It's just too early to tell," said Bough.