Ontario's New Stunting Laws

Quietly on July 1st 2021 some new laws came into effect to crack down harder on street racers.  They claim street racing increased significantly in 2020 and this is the response.

Street racing has always been illegal and has always had harder punishments than even drunk driving.  So racers have always known what they were doing has harsh consequences and it hasn't stopped them.  But instead of racing these new laws are wording it as "stunting," and this term has some broad definitions.  For instance the following things are seen outside of a street racing daily on the roads on Ontario.

- Driving in a way that prevents a vehicle from passing.

- Intentionally cutting off another vehicle.

- Intentionally driving too close to another vehicle.

And these have NOTHING to do with street racing.

- Driving a motor vehicle while the driver is not sitting in the driver's seat.

- Driving a motor vehicle with a person in the trunk of the motor vehicle.  (Watch out mobsters)

So people not racing could easily be charged with stunting depending on the mood of the officer and what they feel they saw the driver doing.  One motorcyclist mentioned that just briefly standing on the bike to stretch his legs could be called stunting.  Rushing through traffic to get to an offramp you don't want to miss could be called stunting.

I've been pretty vocal that I'm "pro racing," although not pro STUPID racing.  Street racers need to take it out on a deserted road.  If you crash and get hurt/die out in the middle of nowhere, well you knew the risks.  But weaving through traffic or on busy streets or highways is stupid racing.  Hammering it as you leave a car show is stupid racing.  Screaming down a residential street is stupid racing.  When I was a teen I had a cop pull me over after I smoked my tires.  He said, "I don't care if you do this outside of town.  Go out of town and smoke them till the tires fall off." That pretty much sums it up.  Go where you're endangering nobody but yourselves.

Street racing is a symptom of a problem that nobody wants to do anything about.  Racers are gonna race. That's not going to change no matter how many punishments they throw at it.  But they could race safely and legally if cities were willing to have tracks for people to compete.  However most cities stick their tracks WAY out in the boonies hours away, or they have none at all complaining about the noise levels.  If you aren't going to have accessible tracks, people are gonna race at the stop light.  I realize it wouldn't stop them all, but it gives a driver something to say when challenged rather than wussing out.  "Let's go to the track."   When I lived in Madison Wisconsin I tried to rally to get a local track setup and was shut down.  I was told they didn't want the noise in the city limits.  But racers are gonna race.  If there's not track, it's gonna be on the street.

Anyway fellow racers look out.  If you're gonna mess with the cops you better be able to outrun them.  Here are the new laws in Ontario.

New Stunt Driving Laws

Effective July 1st 2021, the Ministry of Transportation will be implementing several amendments to the Highway Traffic Act with respect to stunt driving and street racing in Ontario. Specifically, drivers charged with stunt driving will now face a 14-day motor vehicle impoundment (currently seven days). Further, drivers found to be speeding in excess of 40 km/h or more on roads with a speed limit of less than 80 km/h can now be charged with stunt driving.

Stunt driving and street racing are dangerous and illegal.

Stunt Driving includes:

- Driving 40 kms per hour or more over the speed limit on roads with a speed limit less than 80 kms per hour

- Driving 50 kms per hour or more over the speed limit if the speed limit is 80 kms per hour or more

- Driving in a way that prevents other vehicles from passing

- Intentionally cutting off another vehicle

- Intentionally driving too close to another vehicle, pedestrian or fixed object

- Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to lift some or all of its tires from the surface of the highway

- Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to spin it or cause it to circle, without maintaining control over it

- Driving a motor vehicle while the driver is not sitting in the driver’s seat

- Driving a motor vehicle with a person in the trunk of the motor vehicle

Street Racing includes:

- Two or more motor vehicles driving in a way that indicates the drivers are competing

- Chasing another motor vehicle

- Changing lanes repeatedly at a high rate of speed and weaving through traffic

Drivers who are involved in stunt driving or street racing will be subject to:

- An immediate seven-day driver’s licence suspension

- An immediate 14-day vehicle impoundment at roadside (whether it is your vehicle or not)

- A minimum fine of $2,000 and a maximum fine of $10,000

- A jail term of up to six months

- A post-conviction licence suspension of up to two years for the first conviction, and up to 10 years for a second conviction within 10 years

- Six demerit points