Speed cameras working to slow down drivers, says City of Guelph

Photo radar cameras, rolled out in some Guelph school zones last year, slowed drivers down by an average of 20 per cent, the city reports.

The city has four cameras, which are rotated through different school zones every three months.

Analyzing data from the first eight locations since the cameras were turned on in August, city staff found drivers were three times more likely to drive below the posted speed limit when the cameras were in use.

The average driving speed across all eight locations prior to camera installation was 42 km/h. That dropped to 33 km/h when the cameras were there.

“We are glad to see that the data demonstrates that the program is effectively enhancing road safety and promoting responsible driving habits in Guelph,” the city’s manager of transportation engineering Steve Anderson said in a news release. “This is a good thing.”

Even relatively small speed reductions can make a big difference when it comes to pedestrian safety. Only 15 per cent of people who are hit by a vehicle travelling 50 km/h survive, the city said. The survival rate increases to 70 per cent at 40 km/h and 90 per cent at 30 km/h.

What you need to know about photo radar cameras

The cameras work by taking photographic proof of the traffic violation.

“It gets verified by a processing center and then the ticket gets mailed to the owner of the vehicle,” Anderson explained.

The city said there have been about 10,000 traffic violations since August. Both the city and police hope that number will eventually be zero. 

Asked if the cameras are turned on 24/7 or just during school hours, the city declined to say.

Click here to see a list of upcoming camera locations.

More cameras being installed

Lori Jackson lives on June Avenue, across the street from a new speed camera that was installed on May 1.

She wishes it had been installed sooner.

A speed camera set up on June Avenue in Guelph, Ont. (Heather Senoran/CTV Kitchener)

The speed limit on June Avenue is 30 km/h, but said she sees drivers going much faster.

“60 at least. There's been a few that might even been going a little bit faster than that,” Jackson told CTV News on Thursday.

It's only been one day since the camera was installed but she’s already noticed a difference.

“It has really slowed the traffic down,” Jackson explained.

Guelph police said it is all about creating safer driving habits.

“[When] people drive through an area they see that there's a camera there. They will instinctively slow down the next time they drive through, whether the cameras are still there or not, which is really the behavior that we're all trying to encourage the public,” said Scott Tracey from Guelph police.