U.S. driver 'didn't realize' Ontario speed limits aren't posted in miles

A driver from New York who was allegedly caught going nearly double the speed limit in Ontario told police they “didn’t realize” speed signs weren’t posted in miles per hour.

Ontario Provincial Police Const. Kevin Westhead told CTV News Toronto Monday the driver was pulled over at Highway 420 and Drummond Road at around 3:15 p.m. in Niagara Falls, which is about a 10-minute drive from the Rainbow Bridge border crossing.

The posted speed limit in the area is 80 kilometres per hour, and the 52-year-old driver was allegedly caught going 142 kilometres per hour, police said.

“They didn’t realize it wasn’t in miles,” Westhead said. “If you convert 142 [kilometres per hour] to miles, that’s still 90 miles an hour.”

Westhead said a child, approximately 10 years old, was also in the vehicle at the time.

Ontario police charged the motorist with stunt driving, prompting the driver’s vehicle to be impounded for 14 days and their licence to be suspended for 30 days.

“It’s an unfortunate spot. I know a lot of Americans come up, especially just over the falls from Buffalo, but with new vehicles these days, they’re more than capable of being able to switch between miles and kilometres,” Westhead said.

“There’s really no excuse for that excessive speed. I mean, it was just bonkers.”