Automated speed enforcement cameras effectively serve as a visible deterrent to drivers, encouraging them to adhere to speed limits to avoid fines or penalties. The presence of these cameras creates a sense of accountability and reinforces the notion that speeding is being monitored.
Automated speed enforcement cameras have been shown to enhance road safety by reducing speeding violations and decreasing the likelihood of accidents and injuries.
And now Kitchener, Guelph, and Cambridge are all on board with doubling down on expanding their automated speed enforcement camera programs.
Kitchener is expanding its speed camera program.
Kitchener is considering broadening its speed camera initiative by proposing Community Safety Zones (CSZ) and deploying a municipal speed camera.
If endorsed by the council at the Sustainability, Infrastructure, and Development Committee meeting on Aug. 13, new CSZs would be designated, and there are intentions to enhance the speed camera program later in the year as part of the 2025 budget plan.
CSZs enhance driver awareness in those zones and increase traffic violation fines.
Guelph’s automated speed enforcement camera program isn’t going anywhere.
Photo radar cameras, introduced in select school zones in Guelph the previous year, effectively reduced drivers’ speed by an impressive 20% on average.
“At our first eight locations, before the cameras went live, we had an average speed of 42km/h, and while the cameras were active, we saw a reduction down to 33 km/h, which is great.” – Guelph’s Manager of Transportation Engineering, Steve Anderson.
When individuals pass by an area and notice the presence of a camera, their natural reaction is to reduce their speed the next time they drive through, regardless of whether the cameras are present. This behavior is precisely what we aim to cultivate among the public.
Cambridge expands their camera program to every school zone in the region.
In Cambridge, new speed enforcement measures are set to be introduced, including rubber speed cushions on Ellis and Fisher Mills Roads next month. Additionally, new speed limit signs of 40 km/hr on residential streets and 30 km/hr in school zones will be implemented, as approved by the council last year. Speed cameras will also be placed near four schools on Myers Road, Holiday Inn Drive, Saginaw Parkway, and Avenue Road.
According to Cambridge Today, the new penalty system comes as the region prepares to expand its automated speed enforcement (ASE) camera program to every school zone by 2028.
Will automated speed cameras be here to stay?
The data collected from these cameras can be used for analysis and planning purposes to identify high-risk areas, implement targeted safety measures, and ultimately improve overall traffic management strategies.
Overall, the combination of deterrence, safety improvement, and data-driven decision-making makes automated speed enforcement cameras effective in promoting safer driving behavior and reducing speeding-related incidents on the roads — even if it comes at the expense of hitting the wallets of local drivers.
