More than 300 street racing charges in GTA in May: OPP

Despite the tough laws designed to discourage it, street racing remains a big problem in the GTA.

Provincial police laid more than 300 street racing charges on GTA highways in May, OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said in a tweet on Monday.

Over 300 street racing and over 100 impaired driving charges laid by the #OPP in the #GTA through the month of May….#OPPStats
Richard MARKS – 20 – Burlington ON – #ImpairedDriving – 80 plus, Dangerous operation#OPPStats pic.twitter.com/zVMTlHZoJC

— Sgt Kerry Schmidt (@OPP_HSD) June 4, 2019

These drivers were caught travelling more than 50 kilometres an hour over the posted speed limit, including one driving who was clocked at 192 kilometres an hour on Highway 403 in Mississauga.

Currently in Ontario, anyone caught driving more than 50 kilometres an hour above the speed limit will have their driver’s licence suspended and vehicle impounded for seven days. If convicted, drivers can be fined between $2,000 and $10,000, and could also serve six months in jail, along with a longer licence suspension.

The OPP also laid more than 100 impaired driving charges in May.

Back in April, the federal government announced it would give the province $17 million over five years to support various anti-drug driving initiatives. Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Bill Blair said 40 per cent of all front line police officers in Ontario will have up-to-date standardized field sobriety testing skills by 2021