Ontario Bus Driver Charged After Going Over 100 km/hr With Kids On Board

An Ontario bus driver is facing stunt driving charges after going 106 km/hr with kids on board at around 4:30 p.m. on May 3.

The 54-year-old Laurentian Valley driver was caught going 46 km/hr over the 60 km/hr speed limit in a small township west of Ottawa, Ontario Provincial Police says.

Police offered the kids who were on the bus at the time a different transit route from Micksburg Road after the speedy incident.

In line with the Highway Traffic Act, the driver has been charged with racing a motor vehicle and excessive speeding that’s up to 49 km/hr over the speed limit.

The bus driver’s licence was immediately suspended for 30 days. The school bus was also towed away and impounded for 14 days as per new regulations.

Last July, Ontario lowered the bar for stunt driving charges from 50 km/hr. Now drivers found speeding 40 km/hr over the limit can be dinged with a charge.

Following added rules that took effect in April, drivers charged with stunt driving must also take a driver improvement course or risk cancellation of their licence. A maximum fine of $10,000 may also be at stake.

The changes to stunt driving are part of the province's attempt to crack down on unsafe and aggressive driving through the Moving Ontarians More Safely Act. In March, OPP said that speeding reached a 10-year high, leading to 81 deaths in 2021.

As for the Laurentian Valley bus driver, they are set to appear before the Ontario Provincial Offences Court in Pembroke, Ontario.