Street racers put lives at risk, say cops in Mississauga and across Ontario out to catch them
Published May 23, 2024 at 1:04 pm
A troubling trend on GTA roads and highways that’s putting lives at risk has police in Mississauga, Brampton and across southern Ontario again joining forces to crack down on illegal street racing and stunt driving.
Police brass with several law enforcement agencies who gathered in Toronto Thursday morning, including Peel Regional Police and OPP, said those dangerous driving behaviours are on the rise and they threaten the lives of not only those involved, but of other drivers and passengers on the road as well.
Toronto Police along with Halton and Hamilton police are also part of the multi-jurisdictional effort to put the brakes on dangerous driving.
Peel police Deputy Chief Marc Andrews told colleagues and media who attended the kickoff of the annual Project ERASE collaborative enforcement campaign the numbers are concerning. The acronym stands for Eliminating Racing Activities on Streets Everywhere.
Andrews said street racing and stunt driving “pose an ongoing threat,” as evidenced by numbers from last year’s Peel police ERASE campaign. He noted 1,230 total charges were laid in the enforcement effort that ran from May to October 2023, including 783 stunt driving charges.
Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Marc Andrews speaks at today’s 2024 launch of Project ERASE.
In total last year, including enforcement outside of Project ERASE, 1,708 stunt driving charges were laid by Peel officers in Mississauga and Brampton, an increase of more than 700 from 2022, according to Andrews.
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So far in 2024, the deputy chief added, 170 stunt driving charges have been laid by Peel police via ERASE. In addition, 49 people have been arrested and 45 vehicles seized by police.
“Behind these stats are real people who’ve been impacted by reckless behaviour on our roads and, in some cases, the tragic loss of lives and devastated families,” Andrews told the gathering at Exhibition Place, where the latest May-to-October enforcement campaign was officially launched. “Dangerous driving behaviours put lives at risk and we will not tolerate it.”
OPP, meanwhile, said they dealt with 94 road collision deaths in 2023 that were caused by speed.
“People are getting hurt and some are dying,” provincial police said, adding they’ll again be using police aircraft, including helicopters, to nab dangerous drivers on the roads and highways below.
“If you are going to race, take it to a real race track.”
Toronto Police Acting Deputy Chief Kelly Skinner said it’s crucial people understand the risks associated with illegal street racing and the potential consequences, not only for themselves, but for other road users.
Toronto Police hosted a GTA-wide launch of Project ERASE for 2024 earlier today.
“We want to emphasize the importance of keeping racing activities confined to legal racetracks – this is essential for public safety.”
In 2023, Toronto Police laid a total of 1,410 stunt driving charges. Since Jan. 1 of this year, officers have laid 579 stunt driving charges and 215 related criminal charges.
From now until October, the multi-jurisdictional ERASE campaign will see police officers increase efforts to clamp down on stunt driving, street racing and other dangerous activity on the roads.
Stunt driving in Ontario is defined as travelling at:
- 50 km/h or more over the speed limit where the posted limit is above 80 km/h
- 40 km/h or more over where the limit is 80 km/h or less
- a speed of 150 km/h or more on any road or highway
Drivers who are involved in stunt driving and street racing could be subject to:
- 30-day licence suspension at roadside
- 14-day vehicle impoundment at roadside (whether it’s your vehicle or not)
- minimum fine of $2,000 and a maximum of $10,000
- jail term of up to six months
- six demerit points
- upon conviction, a further licence suspension of one year for the first conviction, three to 10 years for the second conviction and an indefinite suspension for third conviction
Last year’s ERASE campaign in Peel, which concluded Oct. 1, resulted in 783 stunt driving charges being laid against illegal street racers, dangerous drivers and other law-breakers on the roads in Mississauga and Brampton.
In recent years, Peel police have identified racing and stunt driving “hot spots” in the region’s two cities and have targeted those areas as part of their enforcement strategy.
Still, street racing in Mississauga and Brampton continues to pose a significant danger to the public, police said.
Typically, groups of street racers show up in large numbers to race in industrial areas in Peel and across the GTA late Friday and Saturday nights from about May through the end of October, police added.
As part of ERASE, police also ask motorists to report dangerous driving. Those who see aggressive driving or street racing can call police at 905-453-3311 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
Driving complaints can also be filed through the Road Watch portal on the Peel police website.
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