Calgary, AB,
16
May
2023
|
07:30
America/Denver

Police target street racing in the city’s southeast

Over the weekend, police targeted illegal street racing that occurred in the southeast industrial area of Foothills.

On the evenings of Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, 2023, our officers were on-site at an area well-known for street racing near 76 Avenue and 68 Street S.E., to deter an increasing trend involving dangerous driving and to target vehicles speeding and racing which pose a hazard to drivers and other road users, including pedestrians.

Several resources from across the service, including HAWCS, the Traffic Section and patrol, were targeting drivers involved in street racing. Our officers set up roadblocks and barricades on select streets, were monitoring parking lots and traffic in the area, and identified many unsafe vehicles and hazardous driving offences. As a result, the following violations were issued:

·       90 tickets – including speeding, racing, driving and equipment violations

·       51 warnings – for various traffic offences

·       Seven compliance direction notices – directing drivers to correct safety issues with their vehicles

·       Two outstanding warrants

·       One Criminal Code charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle – for driving more than 100 km/hr over the speed limit

·       One racing charge with a 24-hour vehicle seizure

Street racing is illegal and can have severe consequences which can include injury or death.

“Calgary’s industrial areas may seem deserted on the weekends, but semi-trailers and other vehicles continue to travel on those roads around the clock. Pedestrian observers at these activities are also at heightened risk – as there are no safety measures in place and drivers are not professional. The potential for serious collisions as a result of illegal street racing activity is significant,” said Staff Sergeant Robert Patterson of the Calgary Police Service Traffic Section. “Any behaviour that causes a driver to act unpredictably or potentially lose control of a vehicle is very concerning. This includes racing, doughnuts, burnouts, drifting and other stunting activities.”

We continue to patrol and target areas known for street racing and ask citizens aware of street racing or other dangerous driving activities to report them by calling the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234, or by submitting a Traffic Service Request for issues extending beyond a single driver.