New, tougher penalties for street racing and stunting will come into effect Oct. 1 in Saskatchewan, a news release from Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) said.

The cost of a ticket for stunting in a motor vehicle will now be $580, plus four demerit points towards the guilty party’s license.

Street racing tickets will also now be $580 and escalate for repeat offenses within a one-year period, SGI said.

A second offense within a year will come with a ticket of $1,400, a third would cost a driver $2,100.

All offenses also include four demerit points.

“Even prior to the new penalties, a ticket for street racing resulted in an immediate, 30-day vehicle impoundment, while repeat offenses for stunting resulted in a three-day impoundment. The second phase of the legislation change, which will take effect at a later date, will implement both 30-day vehicle impoundments and immediate seven-day license suspensions for stunting, racing and exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h or by more than double the posted limit,” a release from SGI said.

“Reckless and unsafe driving behaviors like street racing and stunting are a growing concern,” Minister Responsible for SGI Don Morgan said in a release. “These risky choices can have serious and often life-threatening consequences, and the penalties need to appropriately address them.”

What is defined as stunting or street racing has also been updated in the Traffic Safety Act.

Racing is defined as:

• Racing side by side with another vehicle while disobeying the speed limit

• Chasing another vehicle

• Speeding in and out of lanes to unsafely pass vehicles

• Driving at a speed that is a marked departure from the speed limit.

Stunting is now defined as:

• Attempting to lift some or all tires from the roadway (including driving a motorcycle on one wheel)

• Attempting to spin a vehicle to cause it to spin or circle

• Driving a vehicle while not sitting in the driver’s seat

• Driving in the oncoming lane longer than is needed to pass

• Driving a vehicle in a way that prevents another vehicle from passing

• Stopping or slowing down to interfere with the movement of another vehicle

More information can be found on SGI’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages.