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Automated Enforcement and Photo Radar

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The City uses intersection safety cameras, laser and photo radar to manage traffic enforcement and make our roads safer for everyone.

Human bodies are fragile and even a small difference in speed can mean the difference between life and death. This is especially true for pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. You can play your part by staying within the speed limit and driving to the road conditions.

Driving at a safe speed gives you more time to react to sudden changes and helps you avoid collisions. When people drive at safe speeds, it improves the quality of life for all road users.

Remember that speed limits are the maximum travel speed, not merely a guide. By reducing speeding, the number and severity of collisions is also reduced. 

Pay Speeding and Red Light Tickets

Pay Online

Photo Radar and Red Light Tickets

If you received a Notice of Offence for a red light or speeding violation, as the registered owner of the plate you will have options to respond.

Who Gets the Ticket

Because you are charged as the registered owner of the vehicle, and have not been charged as a driver, a guilty plea will not result in any demerit points assessed to your operator's license.

Section 160(1) of the Traffic Safety Act states:

"If a vehicle is involved in an offence referred to in Section 157 or a bylaw, the owner of that vehicle is guilty of an offence."

Tickets are mailed out, have a photo of the vehicle and contain details including the posted speed, violation speed and fine amount.

Understanding Your Ticket

The City uses various kinds of automated enforcement equipment (generally referred to as photo radar) in accordance with Provincial guidelines. 

Intersection Cameras

Intersection Safety Cameras, known as red-light and speed-on-green cameras, are fully automated and mounted above intersections to capture violations. They are an effective tool in reducing the number of collisions. If your ticket was at an intersection, see the Intersection Safety Device Frequently Asked Questions.

Vehicle-Mounted Equipment

Mobile photo enforcement takes place between intersections, usually from a vehicle parked beside the road. The vehicle-mounted equipment has a narrow radar beam that targets specific lanes of traffic and automatically takes images of speeding vehicles recording the location, date, time, posted speed and violation speed. A trained and qualified peace officer sits with the equipment, observes violating vehicles and makes notes accordingly.  The photo radar system is tested before and after the noted offence time.

Hand-Held Technology

Peace Officers may also use laser-based, handheld devices that use LIDAR technology. If your speeding ticket is from a hand-held device, the ticket will indicate the images were taken with Photo LIDAR. The images on the ticket will show a grey box on your vehicle in the black and white photo. This box is the target area of the laser so, even if another vehicle passed you at the time the photo was taken, the box indicates your vehicle was speeding. The officer operating the equipment also confirms which vehicle was targeted. The LIDAR system is tested before and after the noted offence time.

Review Your Ticket

You can review full-sized, colour images of the alleged violation. The online photos show the LIDAR target area on your vehicle as a red box.

Review Your Ticket

Pay Your Ticket

By paying the voluntary payment amount, you are pleading guilty and do not need to appear in court.

In Person
  • At any Registry Office or Provincial Court
  • Bring the ticket with you
Online

 fines.alberta.ca

Fees
  • Service fees apply
  • Where authorized, the voluntary payment option includes a victims surcharge to assist victims of crime in the Province of Alberta
  • Late payment fee of $20 or 20% of the voluntary payment amount, whichever is greater will be charged if your payment is received after your court appearance date

tickets.alberta.ca

Plead Not Guilty
By Mail

Provincial Court Traffic
1A Sir Winston Churchill Square
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 0R2

Mail your notice to the address indicated above and sign the following statement on the notice:

I wish to Plead Not Guilty to the offence I have been charged with and Will Appear at the Trial Date set for me. I understand that I will be advised of this trial date by ordinary mail which will be sent to address on the face of this offence notice unless I indicate a different address below. I understand that should I fail to appear for my trial I may be convicted in my absence without a hearing and I will be responsible for payment of any penalty plus late payment charges that may become applicable.

A trial date will be set.

Appear Before a Justice
  • Appear before a justice at the appearance address and date indicated on the reverse side of your ticket
  • You may plead guilty or not guilty to the offence charged
  • If you plead guilty, you may ask for time to pay the fine
  • If you want to make submissions as to your penalty, a trial date may be set
  • If you plead not guilty, a trial date will be set

Automated Enforcement Locations

The Automated Enforcement Locations are updated every Friday for the locations planned for the following calendar week (Monday thru Sunday). The selection of locations may vary as determined by weather, road conditions, roadway closures or construction, equipment issues or other unforeseen circumstances.

Automated Enforcement Zones Map - All

Automated Enforcement Zones Map - Weekly

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the City of Edmonton in compliance with the Province's Automated Traffic Enforcement Guideline?

Yes, Edmonton's automated enforcement program in compliance with the Province's new guideline. The Edmonton Police Service oversee the enforcement program.

Automated Traffic Enforcement Guideline

Why is enforcement used on high-speed roads with no pedestrians like Whitemud Drive and Anthony Henday?

The Province of Alberta updated their site selection criteria relating to Automated Traffic Enforcement sites.  In the recent update "high-speed or multi-lane roadways"  was removed as one of the site selection criteria. Automated Traffic Enforcement is still permitted on high speed or multi-lane roadways in if approved by the police service of the jurisdiction and meets one or more of the following criteria:

  • Areas or intersections where conventional enforcement is unsafe or ineffective
  • Areas or intersections with an identifiable, documented history of collisions
  • Areas or intersections with an identifiable, documented history of speeding problems
  • Intersections with an identifiable, documented history of offences 
  • Intersections near schools, post-secondary institutions, or other areas with high pedestrian volumes:
    •  School and playground zones or areas;
    • Construction zones; or 
    • Areas where the public or a community has expressed concerns related to speeding.  

 ATE Guidelines 

28% of fatalities (excluding pedestrians and cyclists) happen on Edmonton roads with posted speeds of 80 km/h or above.

Anthony Henday Drive 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Total Collisions 449 473 368 386 366 499 526
Fatal and Serious Injury Collisions 16 17 11 6 10 13 18
Speed-Related Collisions 299 340 247 282 252 344 386

 

Whitemud Drive 2012 - 2018

2,009 Total collisions

27 Fatal and serious injury collisions

1,403 Speed-related collisions

Why does the City post enforcement locations?

The goal is to have drivers obey the speed limit. Posting the enforcement locations lets drivers know that enforcement takes place all over Edmonton. We also use speed-limit signs, photo-enforcement signs and driver-feedback signs to warn drivers not to speed.

What are the top 10 photo-enforcement locations in 2018?

The top 10 enforcement locations by hour in 2018 were:

  1. Stony Plain Road between 178 - 182 Street WB
  2. 82 Avenue between 89 - 87 Street EB
  3. Stony Plain Rd at 133 Street EB
  4. 142 Street between 106 - 104 Avenue SB
  5. Yellowhead Trail at 7710 Yellowhead Trail WB
  6. 82 Avenue between 91 - 95A Street WB
  7. Gateway Boulevard at Ellerslie Road SW NB
  8. Anthony Henday Drive and Yellowhead Trail SB
  9. Yellowhead Trail and Anthony Henday Drive EB
  10. Princess Elizabeth Ave between 106 - 102 St EB

(These stats based on single direction enforcement and accurate as of January 8, 2019)

The top 10 enforcement sites by tickets issued in 2018 were:

  1. Gateway Boulevard at Ellerslie Road NB
  2. Stony Plain Road between 178 - 182 Street WB
  3. Whitemud Drive between 50 - 75 Street WB
  4. Yellowhead Trail at 7710 Yellowhead Trail WB
  5. Anthony Henday Drive and Yellowhead Trail SB
  6. Yellowhead Trail and Anthony Henday Drive EB
  7. Anthony Henday Drive and Ray Gibbon Drive EB 
  8. 82 Avenue between 91 - 95A Street WB
  9. 82 Avenue between 89 - 87 Street EB
  10. Whitemud Drive at 50 Street WB

(These stats based on single direction enforcement and accurate as of January 8, 2019)

Does the City use automated enforcement at the top crash intersections?

Intersection safety cameras known as red light and speed on green cameras are used in 7 of the 12 top crash intersections for 2017.

The top crash site for 2017 cannot accommodate intersection safety cameras because it is the traffic circle  at 107 Avenue & 142 Street NW.

Mobile automated enforcement (photo radar) is not used in intersections, but may be used on roads leading up to the top crash sites, particularly where intersection safety cameras are not installed.

Slowing traffic to the posted speed limit reduces the number of crashes and the severity of injuries when crashes do happen.

How many photo/laser radar tickets were issued in 2015-2018 through mobile automated enforcement?

Tickets Issued Through Mobile Automated Enforcement

Range of Exceeded Limit 2015 2016 2017 2018
1-5 Over the speed limit - - - -
6-10 Over the speed limit 59,544 63,226 46,155 39,464
11-15 Over the speed limit 217,646 254,292 224,716 181,283
16-20 Over the speed limit 152,264 143,816 132,179 108,691
21-50 Over the speed limit 68,396 61,182 55,223 48,961
50+ Over the speed limit 377 264 235 220
Grand Total 498,227 522,780 458,508 378,619

Note the decline in speeding tickets. Automated enforcement makes our streets safer.
(These numbers represent mobile automated enforcement and were extracted January 6, 2019)

These numbers do not include tickets issued through intersection safety devices.

How many tickets were issued through Intersection Safety Devices in 2018?

Intersection Safety Cameras (ISC), commonly known as red-light cameras or speed-on-green cameras, are mounted at intersections to reduce speeding and collisions. Intersection cameras captured the following violations:

  Red light running  Speeding
2017 13,793 133,659
2018 15,523 138,298
Where does the money from photo enforcement go?

Revenue generated by photo enforcement does NOT go into general revenue. Revenue from photo radar is spent on traffic safety programs, not on general City expenses.

Revenue covers operating costs of automated enforcement including a base allocation to Edmonton Police Service. In 2018, Edmonton Police Service received $22 million from automated enforcement.

  • 15% of the total fine goes to Victims Services
  • 16.67% goes to the Alberta Government
  • The remaining fine balance goes to the Reserve Fund and is used to fund safety and community projects at Council’s direction
  • Any late payment penalty attached to the fine goes to the Province (amount of $20 or 20%, whichever is greater)
  • Speed infractions follow the specified penalties as listed in the Alberta Traffic Safety Act
What traffic safety improvements are done with photo enforcement revenue?

Some engineering improvements to traffic safety include installation of:

  • Protected-only left turn phases at the signalized intersection to reduce left-turn-across-path type collisions
  • Pedestrian signals and pedestrian amber flashers at pedestrian crossings to improve pedestrian safety
  • Driver-feedback signs to let drivers know if they are speeding
  • Retro-reflective tapes and additional traffic-signal fixtures to improve the signal-head visibility at signalized intersections

Photo-enforcement revenue is also used for:

  • Redesigning of right-turn cut-offs at major intersections to reduce followed-too-close type crashes
  • Implementation of engineering improvements at schools to increase the safety of our children
Is photo enforcement automatic or is it under control of the Operators?

Each violation is reviewed by the Operator for accuracy and other related variables. During Photo Enforcement Operations, the City of Edmonton set the enforcement threshold in order to target drivers travelling above the posted speed limit.

Are all Photo Enforcement Operators in the City of Edmonton qualified in the province of Alberta?

Mobile Photo Enforcement units are staffed by Provincial Peace Officers, trained and certified as a Qualified Operators.  Each potential violation is reviewed ​by the Operator for accuracy and other related variables to ensure the speed and vehicle are recorded accurately.  Each potential violation is uploaded to our database. 

Intersection Safety Devices automatically record both speeding and red light violations when they occur and automatically transfer those potential violations to our database. Our Reviewers then independently review each potential violation a minimum of five separate times for accuracy and validity before a violation ticket is issued.  

The enforcement threshold of speed limits for Photo Enforcement is set by the City of Edmonton and not by individual Photo Enforcement Operators. 

How are Photo Enforcement sites selected?

All sites are selected in accordance with the Automated Traffic Enforcement Technology Guidelines, in relation to high collision corridors, citizen complaints, school zones, construction zones or a history of speeding.

Why aren't photo-enforcement vehicles clearly marked?

The City of Edmonton uses covert vehicles as well as bright red and clearly marked community enforcement vans.

The purpose of tickets is to hurt the pocketbook so that drivers say "ouch" and change their driving behaviour. If drivers slow down only until they are past the photo radar unit, then you can bet that they also speed where children cross the street.

Covert enforcement acts as a general deterrence because drivers believe that they can receive speeding tickets anywhere at any time.

Does photo enforcement reduce collisions and injuries?

In 2014, Dr. Karim El Basyouny and his team from the University of Alberta conducted a study of the impact that automated mobile speed enforcement on the frequency and severity of different types of motor vehicle collisions on Edmonton roadways. The study showed that there were significant reductions in all collision severities and types as described below:

  • Severe collisions (fatal and injury): reduction of 32.1%
  • Property Damage Only collisions: reduction of 28.7%
  • Total collisions: reduction of 27.7%
  • Speed related property damage only collisions: reduction of 27.3%
  • Total speed related collisions: reduction of 26.7% 

Evaluation of Speed Enforcement on Arterial Roads

Has photo radar been challenged in court?

Photo radar has been challenged on technical and constitutional arguments, up to the Court of Appeal in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. However, the issue of photo radar has withstood all appeals and petitions.

Violators are photographed as they pass by photo-enforcement locations enabling police to produce valid evidence in court.

Why is the City so fixated on speeding?

Although speed doesn’t always cause crashes, it always determines the severity of a crash. Our bodies are fragile, and even a small difference in speed can mean the difference between life and death. This is especially true for pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. In 2017, more than 23,000 collisions occurred on Edmonton roadways. More than 3,800 people were injured, and 27 were killed. Collisions result in higher insurance premiums, increased wait times for emergency services, higher taxes, legal costs, lost productivity and travel delays. If we consider the pain and suffering of victims, or lives cut short, the cost of collisions is immeasurable.

Related Documents

Safe Roads Spring and Summer Driving

Safe Roads Winter Driving

Edmonton Road Safety Strategy 2016-2020

The City of Edmonton is the first Canadian city to adopt Vision Zero.

Speed Management Continuum

Related Links

Automated Parking Enforcement Program

Red Light Rules

For More Information

Traffic Safety

Telephone

780-495-0371
Fax 780-495-0383
Email transportationoperations@edmonton.ca

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