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SGI has announced that tough new penalties for stunting and racing will be coming into effect as of October 1st.
Manager of Media Relations for SGI, Tyler McMurchy provides some insight into the updated penalties.
"the first ticket for street racing will cost somebody $580. Now that is a pretty significant increase from what it was previously $205. The one thing people need to understand about street racing is it doesn't just cost you money it also costs you the use of your ride for 30 days because it will result in a 30-day vehicle impoundment. That vehicle impoundment was already in place but now the cost of the ticket has gone up."
McMurchy adds that this increase in penalties brings it much in line with tickets for distracted driving.
Stunting refers to a number of different activities all of which would be considered dangerous and do not belong on public roads. According to Mcmurchy, these include driving a vehicle while not sitting in the driver's seat. driving with someone in the trunk, driving in the oncoming lane longer than is needed to pass, driving in a way that interferes with another vehicle from passing, and attempting to lift all tires from the roadway either by popping a wheelie on motorcycles or trying to go on two side wheels on a motor vehicle or attempting to spin out.
The definitions for stunting and racing have recently been updated in the Traffic Safety Act (TSA) as Mcmurchy says the language particularly around stunting was not terribly specific.
Later this year or early next, the second phase of legislation will be coming into effect as McMurchy details.
"That will actually standardize vehicle impoundment and license suspensions. So for stunting and racing and for the more serious speeding offenses of speeding at twice the speed limit or speeding in excess of 50km per hour over the speed limit, for all of these offenses.
According to a press release from SGI the updated language in the TSA addresses the following behaviors, among others:
Racing
• 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
• Driving at a speed that is a marked departure from the speed limit.
Stunting
• 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
• Stopping or slowing down to interfere with the movement of another vehicle