Street racing incidents uncommon, police officer says

A police officer with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary's traffic services says it's uncommon to hear of street racing in St. John's, even though two teenagers were charged with just that earlier this week. 

Sgt. Paul Didham made the comments after charges were laid against two teenagers from Conception Bay South this week.

Both 17-year-old girls, who cannot be named because of their ages, are facing street racing-related charges, stemming from a fatal crash on the Conception Bay South bypass, which claimed the life of Alyssa Davis on Dec. 23.

"Not only are they putting themselves in danger, but they're putting other people in danger, and you know,the consequences are devastating when something happens," Didham told CBC's Here & Now. 

Those kinds of things are dire and effects a lot of people.- Sgt. Paul Didham 

"When people are injured and killed, like an incident that happened a couple of months ago that was presented before the court [Wednesday], those kinds of things are dire and affects a lot of people."

Street racing is defined as any type of action with vehicles moving in a dangerous and erratic way.

Didham said it's not that common for the RNC to receive reports of street racing.

"We do get calls throughout the summer and different times of the year as it relates to vehicles travelling at different rates of speed and aggressive driving and things like that," he said.

"[But] when we talk about speed racing itself as it's defined under the Criminal Code, it's a bit different.… Some more details are required to actual classify it as street racing."

The two teens who have been charged with street racing have been released pending further court proceedings.