Ontario Set to Re-Introduce Photo Radar Back into School Zones
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Photo radar hasn’t been particularly popular as of recent, but it’s making a strong comeback all over Ontario. Toronto Mayor John Tory put in a formal request, one in which Premier Kathleen Wynne was happy to handle – she has recently announced a new legislation put in place that calls for municipalities to rig safety cameras near schools. This is to slow down the amount of speeding going on, as well as keep pedestrians and cyclists on the streets safe.
Speeding’s Link to Car Accidents and Pedestrian Injuries
Believe it or not, there are a lot of cases where speeding results in both injuries and death, which is why curbing the need for speed is such a necessity. To keep the streets of Toronto safe, we’ll need to make sure that the drivers of our city are being responsible at all time. The purpose of this new legislation is to help municipalities, giving them the tools needed to keep locals safe on the road. There was a small political controversy going on during 1994 and 1995, which had to do with roadside cameras being installed on provincial highways; although this is something that the Premier has promised wouldn’t be part of the process.
Photo radar is essentially where your license plate is captured through a camera system, one that is set-up within a “safe zone” of sorts (a school area, public library, etc.). When you’re caught speeding, the camera will snap a picture of your license plate and have the ticket mailed to you; it’s pretty much like 24/7 police coverage for the community roads. Speeders who are caught through this process will be dealt a heavy fine, but could also face some demerit points as well. The details of these penalties aren’t finalized, but there’s sure to be more information as we move forward.
All of the revenue being brought in from these tickets will go right back to the municipalities, which will allow them to implement a much sturdier and stronger security system around their school zones. It’s the perfect win-win scenario; get speeders off the streets and give their ticket money back towards improving the community. The more opportunities (and resources) that these municipalities are given to improve school zone safety, the better.