Street Racing/Stunt Driving Crackdown in Peel (Project ERASE): What Accused Drivers Should Expect

If it felt like police were everywhere this summer, you’re not imagining it. In a months long Project ERASE blitz across the GTA, Peel Regional Police laid over 2,100 charges, arrested more than 100 people, investigated 684 vehicles, and seized nearly 100. Among the counts were 86 stunt driving charges and 125 unnecessary noise charges.

What counts as “stunt driving” (vs. street racing)?

“Stunt driving” comes from Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act s.172 and its regulation O. Reg. 455/07. It’s broader than many people think. Along with street racing, it captures behaviour like 50 km/h or more over the limit on 80+ roads, 40 km/h or more over on roads under 80, hitting 150 km/h anywhere, aggressive weaving to “leapfrog” traffic, and other show off moves listed in the regulation. The point is risk, not just the speedometer reading.

What happens at the roadside (and right after)

If an officer cites stunt or racing grounds:

• Your licence is suspended immediately for 30 days (on the spot).
• Your vehicle is impounded for 14 days, even if it’s not registered to you.
• You’ll get a court date (summons) for Provincial Offences Court.
  These roadside penalties were increased by Ontario’s Moving Ontarians More Safely (MOMS) Act and apply before any trial result.

What to do next: arrange a ride home, notify the vehicle owner, and get legal advice before you say or post anything about the stop. For our focused page on these tickets and options, see Careless & Stunt Driving (Learn more)

Stunt vs. Dangerous vs. Careless: why the label matters

• Stunt/Street Racing is a provincial offence. It brings tough administrative penalties and, on conviction, big fines and potential licence suspensions, but no criminal record. (Learn more) 
• Dangerous Driving is a criminal offence. The Crown can proceed summarily or by indictment. Max penalty for simple dangerous operation (no injury) can be up to 10 years if indicted; bodily harm raises the max to 14 years; death carries a maximum of life. A conviction means a criminal record. (Learn more)
• Careless Driving is also provincial. It covers driving “without due care and attention,” and penalties can be heavy, especially where there’s bodily harm, yet it’s still not a criminal conviction. (Learn more)

Bear in mind, the traffic stop can start as “stunt” and later be up or down charged depending on the evidence (speed estimates, dash/body cam, civilian witnesses, collision data, weather, traffic density).

After the stop: Peel/Halton realities

In Mississauga and Brampton, expect more targeted enforcement at known hotspots and coordinated nights with neighbouring services, exactly what Project ERASE was built for. In Milton/Halton, enforcement is steadier than splashy, but courts there still see a steady queue of high risk driving cases. The summer 2025 blitz shows the scale: thousands of charges and dozens of impounds/arrests in a short window.

Quick FAQs

“I was 40 over on a 60. Is that really stunt?”
Yes. On roads under 80 km/h, 40 km/h over can trigger stunt, and 50 km/h over applies on 80+ roads; 150 km/h anywhere also qualifies. 

“Do I get my car back sooner if it’s not mine?”
No. The 14 day impound applies regardless of ownership, though the registered owner should contact the tow yard for release logistics. The 30 day roadside licence suspension still runs its course.

“Could this become a criminal case?”
If police or the Crown believe your driving was dangerous to the public, they can lay Dangerous Driving. Penalties escalate sharply up to 10 years, 14 years if bodily harm, life if death.