Expect more enforcement on the roads amid aggressive driving concerns

London’s top traffic cop is warning aggressive drivers to expect greater enforcement this year.

It comes as more traffic officers return to the streets after helping out in other areas during the pandemic.

Sgt. Ozzie Nethersole, of the London Police Service Traffic Management Unit, says stunt driving is one of the major concerns as of late.

“My officers have been out and over the last two weeks the numbers have been quite high. For whatever reason the speeds are well above the posted speed limit.”

Police posted to social media on Wednesday that 12 people have been charged with stunt driving over a couple of weeks. Nethersole says winter driving conditions make it even more dangerous.

"And I know over the last two weeks it’s been raining, it’s been cold, the weather’s been changing, there’s ice on the roads, so…The weather’s constantly changing out there and drivers have to adjust to that. Going faster is not going to help you adjust to that road condition.”

Under the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act, anyone caught driving 40 km/h or more above the speed limit where the maximum is less than 80 km/h will face stunt driving charges.

Motorists who are charged face a 30-day roadside driver's licence suspension as well as a 14-day vehicle impoundment.

Meanwhile, in some London neighbourhoods, concerns are being raised over cut-through traffic.

City Councillor Elizabeth Peloza, in whose ward a residential crosswalk was recently installed (on Ferndale Ave), says drivers are often unfamiliar with the lay of the land.

“Many aren’t aware of it, and certainly on bad weather days, myself I’ve been crossing and you hear brakes seize up on a vehicle and you look to find someone come around the corner way too fast.”

She’s also concerned for the return of children attending school next week.

“We’ve had complaints -- and my kids ride those school buses too -- from parents. People barely stopping, honking at school buses, swearing at you…It’s a large stop, 20 kids and little JKs. Their legs can only go up those steps so fast, and people having immense road rage toward children and buses as well.”

Nethersole says residents are demanding a greater police presence on both busy roads and side streets. He says people should expect just that in the coming months.

“I think there was a period where, you know everyone’s so busy with COVID, we were so busy on the road that traffic officers were assisting other places, but we’re going to try to get back to our traffic duties again. This is a big complaint with a lot of residents in the city, and they want speed enforcement, or just traffic enforcement in general.”