PICK A SIDE: Will speed cameras actually prevent speeding?
Published December 13, 2019 at 12:29 am
The Province recently announced it would be allowing municipalities to implement automated speed enforcement devices.
According to the government, these new devices will be able to take pictures of drivers and issue them a ticket for speeding in the mail.
So far, there is no word on what the speeding threshold will be–will you get a ticket for going one or two km/h over the speed limit? it’s not yet clear.
Further, the Province also claims they have no intention of using these devices on highways–they’re just for school and community safety zones.
But are will these devices actually do anything to curb speeding?
Toronto Mayer John Tory was quick to laud the Province’s effort to reduce speeding and said he would do everything he could to ensure these devices are implemented as quickly as possible.
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My statement on provincial approval of automated speed enforcement regulations. I have asked Transportation Services to move immediately to begin the process laid out in the provincial regulations to roll out speed cameras in 50 locations across the city. pic.twitter.com/EFP9Zx3HrN
— John Tory (@JohnTory) December 2, 2019
But, will they actually make a difference?
Many people have argued that they are just a money grab by the Province–they don’t do anything to actually prevent speeding, they just issue a ticket after the fact.
Futher, many people believe once the government realizes how much money they can make using these devices on surface streets, they will soon be installed on our highways (remember when income taxes were supposed to be temporary). Anyone who has driven on the 401 knows drivers rarely go the speed limit, and if they do they become an irritant to everyone else on the road.
However, others believe these are necessary, as there were thousands of collisions last year, and speeding has a significant impact not only on avoiding a collision, but also on the amount of damage that can be done to a pedestrian who gets hit.
Further, many people have said that if they know a device is there, they make a concerted effort to drive more carefully–such as red-light cameras.
So, Mississauga, what do you think?
Will these cameras make our streets safer, or are they just a way to generate money for the Province?
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