GTHA police forces launch stunt driving, street racing campaign
Police forces in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area launched their annual campaign on Thursday to tackle stunt driving and street racing.
The campaign, dubbed Project Erase, is a collaborative effort that involves education and enforcement in a bid to reduce serious injury and death, according to the Toronto Police Service. Erase stands for Eliminate Racing Activity on Streets Everywhere.
Toronto police, along with police services in Hamilton and Peel, York and Halton Regions as well as the Ontario Provincial Police, said they are working together to curb dangerous driving on the roads.
"It's crucial for people to understand the risks associated with illegal street racing and the potential consequences, not only for themselves but also for other road users," Toronto Police Acting Deputy Chief Kelly Skinner said in a news release on Thursday.
"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 1,410 stunt driving charges.
Since Jan. 1, 2024, officers have laid 579 stunt driving charges and 215 related criminal charges. Police said there has been a 31 per cent increase in calls for service about stunt driving this year to date, compared to the same time period last year.
"We encourage the public to report dangerous driving and illegal racing activities to police or Crime Stoppers as a proactive step towards ensuring community and road safety," Skinner said.
This summer, police said officers on patrol will enforce the law against street racing or stunt driving.
Police said drivers who engage in stunt driving and street racing could be subject to:
A 30-day licence suspension that begins at the side of the road.
A 14-day vehicle impoundment that begins at the side of the road, whether the driver owns the vehicle or not.
A minimum fine of $2,000 and a maximum of $10,000.
A 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 the third conviction.
