Everyone knows someone who drives like a 'ninja', with all the moves including speeding, changing lanes to get around slower vehicles, and other behaviors that make a passenger feel 'less safe'. 

But in an effort to ensure safety for all passengers, and other drivers, not to mention the pedestrians, SGI has announced that tougher penalties aimed at deterring drivers from stunting and street racing will come into effect on October 1st.

"Reckless and unsafe driving behaviours like street racing and stunting are a growing concern," said Minister Responsible for SGI, Don Morgan. "These risky choices can have serious and often life-threatening consequences, and the penalties need to appropriately address them."    

The cost of a ticket for stunting in a motor vehicle increases from $150 to $580, plus four demerit points. The ticket for street racing will go from $205 to $580 and escalate for repeat offenses within a one-year period. This means $1,400 for a second offense, and $2,100 for a third offense. All offenses also include four demerit points. Ticket costs include fine cost plus a Victims of Crime surcharge.

Even prior to the new penalties, a ticket for street racing resulted in an immediate, 30-day vehicle impoundment, while repeat offences for stunting resulted in a three-day impoundment. The second phase of the legislation change, which will take effect at a later date, will implement both 30-day vehicle impoundments and immediate seven-day license suspensions for stunting, racing, and exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h or by more than double the posted limit.  

The definitions for stunting and racing have also been updated in The Traffic Safety Act. The updated language in the TSA addresses the following behaviours, among others. Racing can be racing side by side with another vehicle while disobeying the speed limit, chasing another vehicle, speeding in and out of lanes to unsafely pass vehicles, and driving at a speed that is a marked departure from the speed limit. 

Stunting can mean attempting to lift some or all tires from the roadway (including driving a motorcycle on one wheel), attempting to spin a vehicle to cause it to spin or circle, driving a vehicle while not sitting in the driver's seat, driving in the oncoming lane longer than is needed to pass, driving a vehicle in a way that prevents another vehicle from passing, or stopping or slowing down to interfere with the movement of another vehicle.