Ottawa

Speed demons taking advantage of deserted roads, police say

With many Ottawans respecting physical distancing protocols to curb the infection rate of COVID-19, police say stunt drivers are taking advantage of the open roads.

Ottawa police seize 15 vehicles under stunt driving law

Blue and red flashing lights are seen on the front-end of a police cruiser at night.
Fast and furious: Ottawa police have been cracking down on stunt drivers all week, and warn they'll be out in full force again this weekend. (Gian-Paolo Mendoza/CBC)

With many Ottawans respecting physical distancing protocols to curb the infection rate of COVID-19, police say stunt drivers are taking advantage of the open roads.

Ottawa police say they seized 15 vehicles this week for stunt driving.

On Friday alone, traffic officers seized eight vehicles clocked at more than 50 km/h over the posted speed limit, including a motorcyclist caught performing wheelies.

Two other drivers were caught speeding in construction zones and received higher fines with additional demerit points, police said.

"Practising physical distancing during the pandemic does not stop us from enforcing the law with drivers who fail to respect the rules of the road. We are in this together, please drive carefully," said traffic Staff Sgt. Marc-Andre Sheehy in a statement.

"The Ottawa Police will continue to enforce the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) over the weekend."

In Ontario, penalties for stunt driving include seizure of a licence and vehicle, a fine of $2,000 to $10,000, and/or up to six months in jail.

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

More than the headlines. Subscribe to You Otta Know, the CBC Ottawa weekly newsletter.

...

The next issue of You Otta Know will soon be in your inbox.

Discover all CBC newsletters in the Subscription Centre.opens new window

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Google Terms of Service apply.