RED-LIGHT TICKETS TRIPLE
Malfunctioning cameras blamed for lower 2013 ticket numbers
The number of tickets issued at four Saskatoon intersections equipped with red-light cameras more than tripled in 2014 over the previous year.
The City of Saskatoon issued 17,573 violations in 2014, compared to 5,789 in 2013. The amount of money the city collected in fines more than doubled, cracking $1 million for the first time.
The cameras raised $1.2 million in 2014, compared to $454,658 in 2013. Three cameras that were malfunctioning were replaced in 2013 and a fourth one was added, according to a report to be tabled at Tuesday’s transportation committee meeting.
The city’s director of transportation, Angela Gardiner, said the cameras’ footage did not always capture licence plates clearly and some false violations were triggered.
“We ended up having to replace the cameras and install a whole new system,” Gardiner said.
Most of the violations recorded in 2014 were split between two intersections, Preston Avenue and Eighth Street (44.9 per cent) and 33rd Street and Idylwyld Drive (42.2 per cent). Circle Drive and Avenue C accounted for 9.5 per cent of violations, while 51st Street and Warman Road accounted for just 3.3 per cent.
Most of the violations recorded during the first two months of 2015 nailed motorists for failing to come to a complete stop while turning right on a red light.
The red-light cameras were installed to prevent the most serious collisions at problem intersections.
The report acknowledges the most serious crashes at intersections happen when drivers are turning left or heading straight through the intersection.
During the first two months of 2015, 984 violations were issued; 54.9 per cent were for right turn infractions, while 40.5 per cent were issued for running the red light heading straight through.
The report suggests cracking down on right-turn violations on red lights will help protect pedestrians and cyclists.
If the rate of violations stays the same for the remainder of 2015, fewer than 6,000 violations will be issued this year. However, Gardiner said the first two months of 2015 represent too small a sample size to determine trends.
Collision rates resulting in injuries and fatalities at the 51st Street and Warman Road intersection have jumped six per cent since the cameras were installed. Gardiner said city staff will continue to study the intersection to try to determine the problem.
Crashes with injuries and fatalities have dropped 25 per cent at Preston Avenue and Eighth Street, and eight per cent at Avenue C and Circle Drive since the cameras were introduced.
Overall, the most serious collisions have declined nine per cent at the three intersections.
The camera at Idylwyld Drive and 33rd Street was added in 2013.
“It’s actually intended to be the last resort,” Gardiner said of red-light cameras.
“Enforcement is the last resort.”
Red-light cameras were introduced in 2005 at Preston Avenue and Eighth Street, and the next two were added in 2010.
In 2010, the first year with three intersections operating, 8,422 violations were issued and $681,616 in fines was collected.
The report describes a decline in the “operation efficiency of the systems” over the next three years, when violations and fines dropped.
In 2014, a problem processing tickets resulted in several motorists receiving multiple tickets for infractions at the same intersection as much as five months after they happened, which is permitted under provincial law.
Many complained the glitch violated the principle of the cameras, which were purportedly installed to increase safety, not raise money, because they had no opportunity to correct their behaviour before multiple fines were issued.
“I don’t think these are accurate numbers,” Coun. Troy Davies said Thursday.
Davies said he would have liked the report to reflect the effect of the lag in issuing tickets in order to be able to properly judge the red-light program’s effectiveness. Gardiner said it’s not possible to break down violations to reflect this.
The money raised from fines pays for traffic safety initiatives.