TORONTO, Ont. – Ontario’s Liberals are rejecting calls to raise the speed limit on the province’s 400 series highways.

The group stop100.ca has asked the government to raise the maximum speed to 120 or even 130 kilometres an hour, saying people already drive that fast and the current 100 is one of the lowest in the world.

However, transportation minister Bob Chiarelli said this is not even a consideration, as speed is a factor in 20 per cent of fatalities on Ontario roads.

“We want to keep people alive, and that we’re not inclined in any way, shape or form to increase the speed limits on Ontario roads,” he told reporters, Wednesday, saying he had not heard of the Stop100 group.

“The matter of fact – Ontario has the safest roads in North America, and we want to keep it that way,” he added. “Fatalities – many of them are caused by speed.”

Chiarelli said there is no public ground swell to boost the speed limit. As for his driving style, he said he keeps his cruise control locked to 100 kilometres on the highways and 40 on neighbourhood roads.

“I occasionally have a tailgater and people passing me in a no-passing zone, and once in a while I give them a little honk on my horn, but nothing beyond that,” he mused. “I have to admit I get the odd honk, but I just wish they would put their window down and I’d tell them I’m the minister of transportation.”

The transportation minister said police remain busy giving tickets to those drivers whose speedometers hit 120 or 130.