Teenager fined for driving 205 km-h on Hwy. 400

Apr 4, 2004
Jeff Mitchell, Staff Writer

He could have been just another kid out for a ride in his dad's car -- except for the fact he was speeding 100 kilometres in excess of the limit and weaving in and out of traffic on Hwy. 400.

The 17-year-old with a G2 graduated driver's licence -- he can't be named because of his age -- was fined $1,023 and lost six demerit points when he entered a guilty plea, Wednesday in a Newmarket court.

The teenager was stopped by a York Regional Police officer who saw him dodging through traffic on the 400 in his father's Lincoln last September, said Sgt. Brad Bulmer of the traffic unit.

The car was clocked at 205 km-h, 105 km over the posted speed limit.

"He observed this guy for approximately five kilometres (driving) at a high speed and also weaving in and out of traffic," Sgt. Bulmer said.

When the cop, who was in an unmarked car, pulled the young driver over, he found he had a G2 licence, the second level in the province's graduated licensing system.

In addition to the hefty fine handed him, the youth will also be called in by the provincial Transportation Ministry for an interview because of the six demerit points he lost, Sgt. Bulmer said.

As fast as he was going, the youth isn't considered the worst speeder nabbed last year by York police. In August, officers busted a motorcycle rider going 198 km-h in an 80 km-h zone on 10th Sideroad North -- with a passenger on the back of the bike.

That driver was fined $1,150.

Eight other drivers were caught doing 80 to 90 km-h over the posted limit by York cops last year.

Such high rates of speed are a major contributing factor to serious accidents -- speed is cited in one-third of the 28 accidents that claimed 29 lives in York Region last year, Sgt. Bulmer said.

"We're not trying to make fun of this kid or put him in a bad light," he said.

"These kinds of speeds are extremely dangerous."

Gary Direnfeld runs a young drivers program called I Promise that encourages communication and the establishment of trust between parents and their teenagers.

Among the elements of the program is a pledge sheet signed by the young people and their parents, as well as the posting of signs in the back windows of vehicles encouraging people to call parents if they see the young people driving badly.

While we all want to trust our teenagers, it's important to reinforce that with vigilance, Mr. Direnfeld said.

"As parents, we have to wake up to the fact that teens will be teens," he said.

"We have to understand risk-taking is a normal part of adolescent behaviour and we have to put safeguards in place."

Next Wednesday is World Health Day, the theme of which is road safety, Mr. Direnfeld noted. The I Promise program is now being offered free of charge.

Contact:

Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW - Executive Director
Interaction Consultants / I Promise Program Inc.
20 Suter Crescent,
Dundas, Ontario, Canada
L9H 6R5

(905) 628-4847
garydi@sympatico.ca
Teen safe driving: www.ipromiseprogram.com
Parenting:           www.yoursocialworker.com

Gary Direnfeld is a social worker and expert on matters of family life. He is in private practice (Interaction Consultants), writes and provides workshops and is the developer of the "I Promise Program" - teen safe driving initiative. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider Gary an expert on child development, parent-child relations, marital and family therapy, custody and access recommendations, social work and an expert for the purpose of giving a critique on a Section 112 (social work) report. His opinion helps resolve child custody and access matters.

Search his name on GOOGLE.COM to view his many articles or click on either of the above websites. Feel free to call him for your next conference and for expert opinion on family matters. His services include counseling, mediation, assessment and assessment critiques.