More than 15,000 tickets issued to drivers in Toronto from speeding cameras

Globalnews.ca
Oct. 26, 2020
Gabby Rodrigues

The City of Toronto says the automated speed enforcement cameras (ASE) installed across the city issued 15,175 speeding tickets in one month.

The tickets were issued between Aug. 6 and Sept. 5, which was the second month since the cameras were put into use to catch drivers travelling above posted speed limits.

An ASE device on Renforth Drive near Lafferty Street, in Ward 2 Etobicoke-Centre, issued the most tickets with 1,534 or roughly 10 per cent of all tickets during that time period.

The highest fine was $682, as four vehicles were detected travelling at 86 km/h in a 40 km/h zone. The four vehicles were caught on Royalcrest Road in Etobicoke-North; Renforth Drive in Etobicoke-Centre; Jameson Avenue in Parkdale-High Park; and Caledonia Road in Davenport.

The number of repeat offenders caught during the second month of ticketing was 1,198, down from 2,239 repeat offenders in the first month. The first month of ticketing also saw 23,301 tickets issued.

The three most frequent repeat offenders each received seven tickets for speeding on Bicknell Avenue, Caledonia Road and Murison Boulevard.

“The data for the second month of enforcement shows us that speeding is still an issue in our city,” Mayor John Tory said.

“Automated Speed Enforcement will not only reduce speed-related collisions, but it will also enhance quality of life for our communities. Speed cameras deter speeding, increase compliance, and improve overall road safety.”

What is an automated speed enforcement camera?
When a vehicle is caught speeding by an ASE, an image of the vehicle is captured and stored in the system, city officials said.

The images are reviewed by provincial offence officers, and then tickets are issued and mailed to the owner of the vehicle-- regardless of whom was driving -- within 30 days.

If convicted, the only penalty is a fine. No demerit points are issued and the registered owner’s driving record is not be impacted, the city said.

In late December 2019, the Ontario government approved regulations to allow municipalities to use automated speed enforcement cameras.

Cameras and warning signs were then installed at 50 locations across Toronto. The province required a 90-day warning period to drivers in advance of using the new cameras to issue tickets.

The new ASE systems were installed in community safety zones, near school zones, and to ensure an even distribution, there are two systems per Ward across the city. The systems can rotate as the city deems necessary.

Ticketing speeding vehicles in Toronto officially began on July 6.

“This data continues to show the need for automated speed enforcement across our city,” Tory said.

“These speed cameras are focused on roads around schools to help keep kids safe. For drivers, the simplest way to avoid getting a ticket is to slow down and obey the speed limit.”