Ottawa councillor calls for tougher penalties to hit the brakes on speeders

An Ottawa councillor is calling for tougher penalties to address speeding and stunt driving, after five drivers were charged for stunt driving in Barrhaven last weekend.

"We need to modernize our Highway Traffic Act to be able to better incentivize people to not be fools," Coun. David Hill says.

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Ottawa police officers issued 41 tickets during a one-night blitz in Barrhaven last Friday, including 16 for speeding and five stunt driving charges. Officers stopped five vehicles travelling between 112 km/h and 181 km/h, including a motorcyclist going 181 km/h in a 70 km/h zone on Strandherd Drive.

Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA's The Morning Rush Wednesday morning, Hill said Ontario needs to implement tougher penalties for speeding and stunt driving.

"I would love to see the person that did the 181 in a 70, I'd love to see them get their vehicle given back to them in a cube after it's been crushed and say, 'Here you go, Merry Christmas!" Hill said.

"The reality is if it's not a harsh enough penalty, especially second and multiple offences. You make a mistake once, you get a penalty – you get something. But If you do it three or four times, come on it needs to be more severe so we're going to work on that."

Under the Highway Traffic Act, the fines for speeding are $7 per kilometre over the speed limit for speeds 30 to 50 km/h over the speed limit and $9.75 per kilometre over the speed limit for speeds over 50 km/h hour above the limit.

The charge of stunt driving includes an immediate 30-day driver's licence suspension, an immediate 14-day vehicle impoundment and a minimum fine of $2,000 if convicted and six demerit points.

Hill says he will speak with MPP Lisa MacLeod and Solicitor General Michael Kerzner about stronger penalties. The Barrhaven councillor also wants the city and police to explore innovations to address the issue, including technology to detect sound decibels from vehicles.

"There's been positive steps forward; it's still a problem, it's still an issue," Hill said.

"We still need to make sure that when somebody hears an annoying motorbike with a modified muffler rip through Strandherd at 3:30 in the morning waking up 4,000 people, it's super annoying. It's unacceptable. We just need to make sure we report it (to 3-1-1)."

Ottawa police also issued 18 tickets during a blitz in the Orleans area on Saturday, including three tickets for stunt driving. One driver was stopped going 150 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on Trim Road at Portobello Boulevard.