Highway 111 a problem area for stunting

From all viewpoints, Highway 111 in Dartmouth can seem like a big magnet that pulls a certain type of risk-taking driver to its ribbon of blacktop.

Local news followers sometimes need not read or listen to a complete story about charges laid in a stunting incident to learn where a vehicle was being driven at a high rate of speed, when the driver was nailed and fined by police.

Highway 111? Good guess.

Are those caught stunting, men of a certain (young) age? Not always, but another good guess.

Police say there are other stunting sites, too, around Halifax Regional Municipality but acknowledge Highway 111 is one of the problem areas.

This month, Halifax Regional Police charged two drivers with stunting on that urban highway within 10 days of each other.

On March 11, police spotted a vehicle going 157 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on Highway 111.

Police on March 1 pulled over a vehicle after it was seen doing 132 km/h in an 80 km/h section of the highway.

Last May, HRP charged two men with stunting on Highway 111 one Monday morning in a 15-minute span.

In 2020, stunting drivers were fined at least eight times on Highway 111, between Aug. 27 and Sept. 22, CTV News reported.

Back in 2012, police charged an 18-year-old man with stunting on that highway after he was nabbed driving double the 80 km/h speed limit, CBC News said.

According to police, those charged with stunting have represented a cross-section of the driving public and not solely been the stereotypical young-and-male motorist.

Cst. John MacLeod, Halifax Regional Police spokesperson, said offenders have been men and women, and represented different age groups. He said all of them put fellow highway users, and themselves, at risk.

“HRP has made traffic enforcement, especially speeding and stunting, a targeted priority based on community concerns we have been hearing consistently,” MacLeod told CityNews Halifax Monday via email.

“We are constantly evaluating the need and areas for our enforcement activities informed by officer observations, as well as (from) feedback and complaints we get,” he said.

The definition of stunting, according to provincial legislation, includes “driving 50 km/h or more above the lawful rate of speed.” The fine is $2,422.50 and six points are placed on the motorist’s record.

Also, stunting drivers get their vehicles impounded and have their licenses suspended for a week. Getting caught can have car insurance consequences, too.

MacLeod said anyone who sees a driver travelling at a high rate of speed should contact police at 911.

Coun. Tony Mancini (Harbourview-Burnside-Dartmouth East) said Highway 111, which belongs to the province, goes through his electoral district.

He said Halifax Regional Police “has stepped up” its enforcement of speed laws on Highway 111, a divided roadway allowing for a maximum of 80 km/h except in a couple of spots were the maximum speed drops to 50 km/h.

Mancini said one reason he recently supported the hiring of more police officers was “so there would be more officers to do speed enforcement.” (In a 9-8 vote, Halifax regional council endorsed the police department’s budget on March 11.)

Nova Scotia’s planned modernization of its old road-safety laws, said Mancini, “has some exciting potential to introduce cameras for speed enforcement,” and might help improve the situation on Highway 111 and other roads.

These amendments, however, are still years away.

Michael Lightstone is a freelance reporter living in Dartmouth