Ontario teacher allegedly caught driving 95 km/h in safety zone on first day of school

An Ontario teacher has been busted for allegedly driving nearly double the speed limit in a safety zone on the first day of school.

According to Durham police, the teacher was caught driving 95 km/h in a 50 km/h zone Tuesday around 8:30 a.m. in Oshawa.

"First stunt driver of the day (is) a teacher," Durham police said in a tweet. "Numerous charges laid."

Durham police did not specify where the incident occurred.

Anyone caught driving 40 km/h or more above the speed limit, where the speed limit is set at less than 80 km/h, will face stunt driving charges in Ontario.

Drivers also face a 30-day roadside driver’s licence suspension, as well as a 14-day vehicle impoundment, if pulled over by police for stunt driving.

The maximum fine for stunt driving in Ontario is $10,000. You could also face up to six months in prison.

Drivers are being urged to keep a close eye on the roads as kids return to the classroom over the next few days.

There has been a significant increase in traffic volume over the past few months as people return to the office following years of working from home due to the pandemic, Ontario provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said. The number of cars on the street will continue to rise now othat students are returning to school in September.

"The commute time you had in the past or maybe this spring … is likely going to be different than it is today," he told CP24 on Tuesday morning. "So give yourself extra time."

• What Toronto parents can expect on the first day of school

Schmidt warned that kids will either be excited to return to the classroom or there may be tears—either way it’s important to keep an extra eye on the road when in school zones.

“They’re looking forward to one thing and it’s not necessarily the traffic, so just as a driver be extra careful.”

The OPP is also issuing a reminder to drivers that they should be aware of school buses and that ihey can be fined for not stopping when their lights are flashing.

School buses in Ontario are using an updated two-colour flashing light system this year. Lights will flash amber when a bus is preparing to stop to give nearby drivers a warning that they should be slowing down.

Once the bus stops a red light will flash. This means that approaching drivers must also stop in order to allow students to either get on or get off the vehicle.

Schmidt said that drivers who fail to stop could be fined up to $400.

The Toronto Police Service is also launching their back-to-school campaign, targeting drivers in school zones who may be speeding or driving either aggressively or while distracted. They will also be targeting individuals who are parked illegally in those areas.

“It is paramount that motorists consider the safety of our most vulnerable road users; school children, pedestrians, and cyclists, when travelling on our roads,” police said in a news release.

According to an April survey conducted on behalf of the CAA South Central Ontario, 78 per cent of Ontario parents report seeing unsafe driving behaviours in school zones, including speeding, stopping in undesignated areas and double parking.

About 37 per cent of respondents said they consider the roads around their child’s school to be very safe.