What comes to mind when you hear someone was charged with ‘stunt driving’ on an Ontario road? Too fast? Donuts? Car chases? Unsafe behaviour? Those are the kinds of things the legal system means by ‘stunt driving’. But for professional stunt driving, that’s not only inaccurate, it’s offensive.
Professional stunt performers spend decades training, planning and perfecting their craft. They choreograph every project to the second. Locations for filming are selected beforehand to ensure no pedestrians will be affected. There’s a high level of control at every level. The crew’s roles are all rehearsed and practiced. They know every inch of the roads they perform on. Also, drivers wear protective gear, and the crew prepares special equipment for stunts. These stunt drivers have worked on some of your favourite films as well, and are responsible for some of the outstanding stunts.
If we compare this to ILLEGAL street racers and ‘stunt’ offenders. These people likely have little driving experience and are on public roads with unsuspecting motorists and pedestrians. Weather and road conditions are unpredictable. Drivers have no personal protective gear other than standard seat belts and there are no safety personnel standing by in case something unexpected happens. And one day it will.
New Driving Legislations
The Highway Traffic Act (HTA) is the book of rules for drivers in Ontario. It labels reckless driving, including doing donuts, popping wheelies, and riding with people in unsafe places (like the trunk) as stunt driving. This is clearly NOT stunt driving. It’s stupid driving. It’s unsafe and harmful. Let’s change the term for illegal behaviours to reckless or something else. It is not stunt driving and it is #NotWorththeRisk.
