Nearly 800 stunt driving charges laid during cops’ clampdown in Mississauga, Brampton

Police laid 783 stunt driving charges during a recently completed six-month enforcement campaign that targeted illegal street racers, dangerous drivers and other law-breakers on the roads in Mississauga and Brampton.

In total, Peel Regional Police say they investigated 941 vehicles and issued 1,230 Provincial Offence Notices during Project ERASE (Eliminating Racing Activities on Streets Everywhere) and Noisemaker, which concluded on Oct. 1.

The campaign also resulted in 170 improper/no muffler charges being laid in addition to 25 Criminal Code charges related to impaired and dangerous driving, police said in a news release on Thursday.

Stunt driving is defined as vehicles travelling at:

• 50 km/h or more over the speed limit where the posted limit is above 80 km/h
• 40 km/h or more over where the limit is 80 km/h or less
• a speed of 150 km/h or more on any road or highway

“The ERASE Program aims to change poor and aggressive driver behaviour through education, strategic enforcement and modifying social behaviour,” police said. “Street racing is an illegal and dangerous activity that risks the lives of our community members.”

In the wake of their latest annual enforcement effort, police say they reached a familiar conclusion.

“Illegal street racing and aggressive high-speed driving continue to be a problem on our roads,” they said in the news release.

Police noted that during the lengthy campaign, “officers identified hotspot locations throughout Peel and targeted those areas as part of the program strategy.”

In a recent incident, police just several weeks ago charged a 22-year-old person from north of Toronto after the same driver was spotted taking part in four different illegal street races in Mississauga and Brampton, at times reaching more than 200 km/h on city streets.

Police add that they’ll continue to take a zero tolerance approach year-round to the dangerous and illegal driving behaviour.

“Our officers remain vigilant 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” police said, adding they encourage members of the public to report dangerous drivers to police when they encounter such road behaviour.

Those with information concerning aggressive driving or street racing activities can call police at 905-453-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Driving complaints can also be filed through the Road Watch portal on the Peel police website.