A Calgary driver was allegedly doing more than twice the speed limit on Stoney Trail while watching a YouTube video on their phone.
Calgary police say the driver was clocked going 141 km/h in a 70 km/h zone at about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20.
That's 71 km/h over the limit.
The driver was ticketed for four offences:
Speeding.
Careless driving.
Failing to produce a driver's licence.
Driving while viewing a display screen.
None of the charges has been proven in court.
Clocked from nearly half a kilometre away
The photo police released shows another detail. The 141 km/h reading was taken at a distance of 464.7 metres, nearly half a kilometre.
Police didn't say exactly where on Stoney Trail the stop happened. Most of Calgary's ring road is posted at 100 km/h, so the 70 km/h limit points to a specific stretch police haven't identified.
At 141 km/h, distance adds up fast
At 141 km/h, a car travels about 39 metres every second.
In two seconds, that's about 78 metres. In five, it's nearly 200.
Police haven't said how long the driver looked at the video. But that's how much road disappears at that speed when a driver's eyes are somewhere else.
"Distracted driving and speeding are a dangerous combination," Calgary police said. "Put distractions away, stay focused and follow the rules of the road."
71 over means a court date
This isn't a ticket with a set fine.
In Alberta, drivers caught going 51 km/h or more over the limit have to appear in court, and a judge decides the fine. Speeding more than 50 over carries six demerit points if convicted.
The careless driving ticket carries another six demerits on conviction.
Demerits only go on a driver's record once they're convicted, not when the ticket is issued. Whether this driver faces a suspension will depend on how the charges turn out and on their existing record.
Watching YouTube while driving is illegal
Alberta's distracted driving law covers more than texting. It bans hand-held phone use and viewing video on a screen while driving, even at a red light.
The penalty is $390 and three demerit points. Police can issue it on top of other tickets, like speeding.
GPS is allowed under certain conditions. Watching YouTube isn't.
The same day as the 204 km/h stop
It wasn't the only extreme speeding stop on Stoney Trail that Sunday.
On Sept. 20, police also stopped a driver on Stoney Trail N.E. near Deerfoot Trail going 204 km/h in a 100 km/h zone. That driver was ticketed for speeding, careless driving and illegally tinted windows. Our coverage of the 204 km/h stop is here.
The day before, police stopped an 18-year-old going 147 km/h on Deerfoot Trail, whose 17-year-old passenger got their own seatbelt ticket.
We've also covered a driver arrested after police clocked 218 km/h on Stoney Trail, and another caught doing 129 km/h in a 60 zone.
Police haven't released numbers showing whether extreme speeding is rising in Calgary. But two stops like these on Stoney Trail on the same Sunday stand out on their own.
Calgary's Vision Zero goal
Calgary police tied the stop to the city's Vision Zero strategy, which aims for zero major injuries and deaths on Calgary roads. Speeding and distracted driving are two of its main targets.
How to report a dangerous driver
If someone is driving in a way that puts people in immediate danger, call 911. Pull over safely first, or have a passenger call. Don't follow the vehicle.
Note the licence plate, the make, model and colour, and where it's heading.
For something that's already over, call the Calgary Police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234.
Sources
Calgary Police Service, social media post, September 2026
Fines for speeding, Government of Alberta
Demerit driving suspension, Government of Alberta
Distracted driving, Government of Alberta
Vision Zero, City of Calgary
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