U.S. driver caught speeding claimed they were driving in miles per hour on Ottawa highway
Posted Sep 13, 2024 11:54:00 AM.
Last Updated Sep 13, 2024 09:12:38 PM.
A driver from the United States was stopped by police in Ottawa for speeding on Highway 417.
Ontario Provincial Police pulled the vehicle overnight last night for driving 161 km/h in a 100 km/h zone.
Despite being from the United States, the driver still received a 30-day licence suspension and faces a minimum $2,000 fine. The vehicle was towed and will be impounded for 14 days. The suspect also faces a one-year driving ban in Ontario if convicted.
The driver did explain to officers they were mistaken by the speed limit, claiming they were driving in miles per hour, not kilometres per hour. 161 km/h converts to roughly 100 m/h.
According to the independent traffic research organization Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the maximum speed limit across the United States is 85 miles per hour.
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) Traffic Escort and Enforcement Unit recently conducted a traffic blitz last month leading into the Labour Day long weekend and issued 76 total charges.
Earlier this week, the OPP charged five drivers with stunt driving on Highway 417 and of those drivers, they included a G1 and G2 driver.
