A dark sedan seen driving on the shoulder of HWY 401 in Elgin County. Photo captured via footage supplied by OPP.A dark sedan seen driving on the shoulder of HWY 401 in Elgin County. Photo captured via footage supplied by OPP.
Sarnia

UPDATE: Petrolia driver arrested for speeding on shoulder of Hwy. 401

A young driver from Lambton County, who was seemingly trying to get ahead of some traffic, now faces several charges.

On Tuesday, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) shared a video to social media showing a dark sedan speeding on the far right shoulder of Highway 401 somewhere in Elgin County.

Police said they received several phone calls from highway drivers making complaints about the driver's dangerous shortcut.

"Oh my god. That dude's driving on the shoulder!" the truck driver, who captured the video on a dashcam, was heard saying as the vehicle in question sped past them. "He just did, like, a buck-forty [140 kilometres per hour] down the shoulder, by everybody," they said in disbelief.

Police said the vehicle was later stopped on the westbound Hwy. 401 in the Municipality of Dutton-Dunwich on Friday, May 26, at around 11:20 a.m.

A 20-year-old Petrolia driver was charged with a number of Highway Traffic Act offences including careless driving, speeding 1-49 km per hour over the posted limit, and passing on the right - not in safety.

OPP said the vehicle was not impounded, however, the driver was issued a summons to speak to the charges in court.

"We all have somewhere to be, but [drive safe] so we can all reach our destinations!" read the OPP Twitter post.

In an email to Blackburn Media, Elgin OPP also called this type of driving behaviour "absolutely unacceptable."

"Drivers need to adopt safe and defensive driving behaviours to reduce the number of preventable deaths on our roadways. Passengers and the public, in general, should adopt an intolerance of these behaviours and recognize the serious risk it poses to all road users," read an OPP statement.

https://twitter.com/OPP_WR/status/1663638676604084230

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