The battle against extreme speeders

In its battle against extreme speeders, the Ontario government said Wednesday drivers caught going 50 kilometres or more over the speed limit will be treated the same as street racers. That means issuing an immediate seven-day driver's licence suspension at roadside.

As well, in June, the province strengthened penalties for street racers and drunk drivers with its Safer Roads for a Safer Ontario Act. The legislation increased fines for convicted street racers up to $10,000 - the highest street-racing fine in Canada.

“That means they'll face the extreme stiff penalty we apply to street racers,” said Premier Dalton McGuinty, who unveiled the new initiative at the Buttonville Airport in Markham, Ont. “In short, you're looking at major cost and major inconvenience.”

The province will also designate 55 more Ontario Provincial Police officers to fight extreme speeding and fund a new OPP plane with high-tech surveillance equipment. “Excessive speeding on our roads will not be tolerated,” said Ontario's Transportation Minister Donna Cansfield in a prepared statement. “With these tougher measures, our government continues to protect those who obey the law from those who choose to break it,” said Cansfield.

Ontario police, like officials across Canada, have been engaged in an ongoing battle against street racing for years. The federal government also introduced tougher Criminal Code penalties for street racing just before Christmas.

Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino praised the new provincial resources to fight street racing. “The addition of these new officers will help us make Ontario's highways safer by enabling us to clear crash scenes more quickly while safeguarding both officers and the public,” said OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino. “By adding aerial traffic support we will be able to target aggressive drivers and street racers.”