Key Takeaways:
- The most recent statistics show that in April and May, Toronto’s 50 Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) devices issued over 54,000 tickets.
- Beginning in July 2020, automated speed enforcement equipment will be installed in Toronto neighborhoods.
Drivers in Toronto continue to exceed the official speed limit despite the danger of receiving a speeding ticket in the mail.
According to the most recent data, over 54,000 citations were issued by Toronto’s 50 Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) devices in April and May. These devices are dispersed around the city, close to schools, and in areas known as designated Community Safety Zones.
They distributed 34,152 tickets in April, with 5,545 of those (or around 16% of all the tickets) coming from the location on Mill Road, north of Burnhamthorpe Road, in Etobicoke Centre.
There were 2,626 repeat offenders that month, with the most frequent offenders obtaining 14 penalties for speeding there.
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The city claimed that compared to past months, April saw a larger number of fines issued since more arterial roads were included in this round of enforcement locations due to higher traffic volumes and better road conditions.
In May, the cameras issued 20,052 citations, with the Parkside Drive camera in Parkdale-High Park, south of Algonquin Avenue, issuing the most (2,845), or nearly 14% of all tickets.
There were 1,150 repeat offenders in that month, and the most persistent offenders received 11 penalties for speed on Redgrave Drive, west of Martin Grove Road, also in Etobicoke.
The city claimed that because Toronto’s ASE devices were moved to the fifth and current cycle of locations throughout May and June, the number of fines issued in May was noticeably fewer.
“We are conveying clearly that speeding will not be allowed in our city with the more than 54,000 automated speed enforcement penalties issued in April and May. I urge every driver in the city to observe the law – obey the posted speed limit and other traffic regulations – whether or not there is a speed camera or police officer conducting traffic enforcement,” Mayor John Tory said in a release on July 26.
Automated Speed Enforcement devices will be introduced in Toronto neighborhoods starting in July 2020. They are intended to reduce speeding in areas where safety concerns, promote a significant deterrent effect and increase public awareness of the need to slow down and adhere to posted speed limits. They are intended to support other Vision Zero tactics, such as engineering solutions, educational programs, and conventional law enforcement.
Each ward has two-speed photo radars installed. Signs are placed in advance at all new sites to alert motorists, and their positions are chosen based on areas where there are problems with speed and crashes.
The Provincial Offences Act’s Schedule D governs the calculation of speeding fines. Additionally, offenders must pay all necessary court fees as well as a fine victim surcharge. Automated Speeding Enforcement fines have no consequences for a person’s driving record and do not accrue any demerit points.
The city processes tickets given to motorists caught going more than 50 kilometers per hour over the speed limit.
According to provincial legislation, registered car owners are instead called to appear in court for allegations including excessive speeding rather than receiving a set fine or an out-of-court settlement.
Since enforcement started more than 2 years ago, 430 of these charges have been brought.
The highest speed exceeding the posted limit observed so far was 146 km/h on Martin Grove Road, north of Garfella Drive, in Etobicoke North.
Source: CTV News
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