Starting Oct. 1, street racing and stunting tickets in Saskatchewan will be a lot more expensive.
The current cost of a street racing ticket is $150, while stunting comes out to $205.
“A fine for street racing or for stunting for first offense [will be] $580,” SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy said. “For street racing, in particular, the penalties escalate as well.”
The new regulations outline that if a driver is caught street racing or stunting again within a year of their first offence, the fine more than doubles to $1,400. A third offence will cost drivers $2,100.
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According to McMurchy, fines and penalties are being increased due to the safety concerns for all those involved in these types of offences.
“Anybody who's in that vehicle, but also other people around them as well other road users,” McMurchy said.
“These penalties I think, really reflect the seriousness of the offence.”
The Regina Police Service (RPS) said they have experienced a high number of calls related to street racing and stunting.
“It's become quite a concern where our officers are inundated with calls every day about someone complaining about it somewhere in the city,” said Cpl. Greg Krawetz.
Regina neighbourhoods including “The Greens” have seen more incidents of dangerous driving and residents have taken notice including city councillor Lori Bresciani who said that speed racing is a huge safety concern.
“As a parent, when you're walking with your child and all of a sudden you see people racing and stunting right there it just takes one second for a child to pop out on a bike or walk across the street,” Bresciani said.
A ticket for street racing will result in an immediate 30-day vehicle impoundment.
New legislation being introduced later this year will also result in a seven day license suspension.
RPS is hoping the increased penalties will put an end to increase in street racing.
“Hopefully that's what the main deterrent will be because it'll make the roads safer, it will slow people down,” said Krawetz. “It will make it safer for everybody on the roadways, including pedestrians and other road users.”
Coun. Bresciani reiterated that safety is the highest priority.
“At the end of the day, it's about safety, and I want to ensure my residents feel safe,” she explained.
“At the end of the day, we do not want a fatality.”
A second stage of increased fines will begin sometime before the end of this year. Drivers committing these offences can expect to see four demerit points added to their record for each offence.
Clearer definitions of street racing and stunting are set to be part of new provincial legislation being introduced in October.
According to SGI, street racing can be classified as “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 be classified “as attempting to lift all tires from the roadway, attempting to spin a vehicle, driving while not sitting in the drivers seat, driving in an oncoming lane longer than what is needed to pass, or stopping or slowing down to interfere with the movement of another vehicle.”
