Ottawa police are looking to crack down on excessive speeds and noisy cars for the second year in a row with the return of Project NoiseMaker starting May 1.
The OPS launched the program for the first time in 2020 when the lack of traffic in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a rise in reports of stunt drivers — anyone caught going 50 kilometres per hour over the posted speed limit — taking to Ottawa streets.
Police say they stopped an average of 10 stunt drivers a week during the program’s inaugural year in Ottawa and issued 2,300 tickets.
Stunt driving charges come with fines starting at $2,000. Drivers also have their licence suspended and cars impounded for seven days.
Project NoiseMaker, as the name suggests, also cracks down on cars that generate excessive noise from modifications to their vehicle’s muffler or exhaust systems.
Tickets for improper mufflers are $110, though modifications tampering with exhaust and emissions controls could result in fines of $365 under the Environmental Protection Act.
OPS Staff Sgt. Denis Hull told Global News in an email that Project NoiseMaker uses a combination of stepped-up enforcement and public awareness campaigns. Ottawa police will work with bylaw, provincial police, the Ministry of Transportation and local city councillors to flag issues and ticket offenders.
There is a “zero-tolerance” policy for stunt driving under the campaign, he said. Police will also be inspecting vehicles for illegal modifications.