Here's how much tickets for street racing, stunting could cost Sask. drivers
This month SGI is cracking down on dangerous driving behaviours, including street racing and stunting.
New penalties for street racing and stunting came into effect on Oct. 1.
Tickets for both offences will now cost the driver $580 along with four demerit points.
Fines for street racing will escalate for repeat offenders, according to SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy.
A second street racing fine will cost $1,400 and a third ticket will be $2,100, if the repeat infractions happen in a one-year span. The vehicle will also be impounded for 30 days for all street racing convictions.
“These are fairly serous consequences and it’s a very serious offence,” McMurchy said.
“It’s something that doesn’t belong on our roads.”
In the last two years, police officers have been handing out more tickets for street racing and stunting.
McMurchy said the number of tickets issued each year has doubled from about 30 to 60 convictions.
Sgt. Ian Barr called street racing “a problem in certain areas of the city during certain times of the year.”
Regina’s east end near the Greens on Gardiner as well as Albert Street tend to see the most activity on weekends and during nice weather, Barr said.
“Sometimes it’s a legitimate race … but other times it can be a road rage incident where somebody’s trying to get ahead of somebody and somebody doesn’t want to let them in,” Barr said.
It is part of an overall trend with dangerous driving habits increasing since the pandemic, according to McMurchy.
SGI is focusing on speed during its October traffic safety spotlight.
Excessive speed is one of the leading factors in traffic-related deaths and injuries, McMurchy said.
Last year, speed contributed to 1,263 collisions, resulting in 554 injuries and 20 deaths.
“When you’re driving too fast really bad things could happen,” McMurchy said.
Barr said traffic officers are always focused on catching excessive speeders and the month of October won’t be any different.
“There’s nowhere or very few places in the city where you can find everyone obeying the speed limit,” Barr said.
“It is unfortunately far too frequent that we find people going over 35 kilometres and over 50 kilometres over the speed limit.”
According to Barr, increasing a vehicle’s speed by 20 kilometres per hour can greatly increase the stopping distance.
For example, the stopping distance of a vehicle doubles if a person is driving 70 km/hr in a 50 km/hr zone, he said.
“When you think about approaching a cross walk or school zone or somebody riding off the sidewalk on a bicycle, that could make the difference between being able to stop for that person or a collision happening,” Barr said.
McMurchy said SGI plans to increase its penalties for “egregious speeding offences” in the next few months. New fines will come with an automatic 30-day vehicle impoundment and a seven-day license suspension, he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Doctors combine a pig kidney transplant and a heart device in a bid to extend woman's life
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.