G1 driver going 132 km/h on Bronson Avenue one of six drivers charged with stunt driving in Ottawa

OTTAWA -

Ottawa Police hit the brakes on six stunt drivers on the first Friday of July, including a G1 driver going 72 km/h an over the speed limit on Bronson Avenue.

The Ottawa Police Traffic Unit shared several stories of drivers caught speeding across Ottawa on Friday.

Police say an 18-year-old G1 driver, unaccompanied, was stopped going 132 km/h on Bronson Avenue. The speed limit is 60 km/h in the area where the driver was observed speeding.

Ontario's graduated licencing system states all G1 drivers must have a fully licensed driver with at least four years of driving experience in the car.

In Orleans, police say a driver was spotted going 127 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on Mer Bleue. 

In the area of Jeanne d'Arc Boulevard and Boyer Road, police say an M2 driver was spotted going 117 km/h on a motorcycle in a 60 km/h zone.

"Good people making bad decisions," said the Ottawa Police Traffic Unit. "Slow down and choose to be a safe road user."

Two drivers are facing charges after police say two vehicles were racing each other on RIverside Drive.  

Friday morning, a 51-year-old driver was stopped going 146 km/h in a 60 km/h zone.

Ontario introduced new penalties for stunt driving and street racing on Canada Day. The roadside penalty for stunt driving is now a seven-day licence suspension and the vehicle is impounded for 14 days. The previous roadside vehicle impoundment was seven days.

Starting in September, Ottawa Police say the roadside penalty for stunt driving increases to an automatic 30-day licence suspension.

Ontario has also introduced an escalating post-conviction driver's licence suspension for drivers convicted of stunt driving/street racing.

• For a first offence, a minimum of one to three years
• For a second offence, a minimum of three to 10 years
• For a third offence, a lifetime suspension that may be reduced at a later date to be established by regulation, and
• For fourth and subsequent offences, a lifetime driver’s licence suspension.

The Moving Ontarians More Safely Act also makes changes to how fast a driver can go over a speed limit on municipal roads before it will be considered stunt driving.

As of July 1, a motorist spotted driving 40 km/h or more above the speed limit on a road with a maximum limit of less than 80 km/h will face a stunt driving charge.

Previously, the charge of stunt driving involved motorists going 50 km/h over the speed limit.