Traffic Offences
Street Racing in Ontario
Racing another vehicle on a public road is a serious Highway Traffic Act offence in its own right, carrying 6 demerit points, and it closely overlaps with — without being identical to — stunt driving.
What counts as racing
Street racing generally involves two or more drivers competing against each other on a public road — accelerating, maintaining speed, or manoeuvring in a way that shows an intent to outpace another specific vehicle, rather than simply driving fast on your own. That focus on competing against another driver is what sets racing apart conceptually from other extreme-speed offences: it's defined by the interaction between two or more vehicles, not just by how fast any one of them was going.
Demerit points and general consequences
A racing conviction carries 6 demerit points, placing it in the same high tier as careless driving, stunt driving, and failing to stop for a school bus. Because racing typically involves two willing participants driving at high speed in close proximity to each other and to other road users, it's treated with the seriousness that tier reflects, and can carry a substantial fine and licence consequences on top of the points, depending on the specific circumstances and whether other charges (like stunt driving) apply alongside it.
How racing differs from stunt driving
Racing and stunt driving overlap significantly in practice, which is part of why they're often mentioned together, but they aren't the same offence. Stunt driving is defined by a specific list of dangerous behaviours — extreme speeding, tire-spinning, and, notably, racing itself is one of the behaviours the stunt provisions can capture. A driver racing another vehicle can end up charged under either the standalone racing offence or the broader stunt-driving provisions (or both, in some circumstances), and the roadside consequences differ: a stunt-driving charge can bring an immediate roadside licence suspension and vehicle impoundment, while a standalone racing charge does not automatically carry those same roadside penalties. Which specific charge applies depends on exactly what the officer observed and the section cited on the ticket.
Why this distinction is worth understanding
Because the roadside consequences can differ so much between these two related offences, it's important not to assume that “racing” and “stunt driving” always mean the same outcome. If you've been charged with either, checking exactly which section of the Highway Traffic Act appears on your paperwork is the clearest way to understand which set of consequences actually applies to your situation.