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Automated Enforcement

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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.

The City of Edmonton’s speed enforcement vehicles are now more visible to drivers. The vehicles are displaying vinyl wraps or decals and flags, and their parking locations have been adjusted to ensure they can be seen. The work to increase visibility to all drivers will be completed in January 2020.

The City has given clear direction that all of our enforcement vehicles must be highly visible to drivers being monitored.

Enforcement vehicles will follow these parking standards:

  • Park on roadways where vehicles are clearly visible to drivers
  • Park as openly as possible at all enforcement sites
  • Do not park in locations where the vehicle is not visible to traffic:  behind trees, behind fences, on boulevards, any parkland, grassy areas, or any area that is not on a roadway

Enforcement on Anthony Henday Drive:

  • Enforcement on Anthony Henday Drive will continue because this is a high-speed roadway which has had many fatal and serious injury collisions over the years
  • We are confident that once the enforcement vehicles are wrapped or have decals, and a flag has been installed on their rear bumper, they will be highly visible to the drivers on Anthony Henday Drive. This will be completed in January 2020.

In addition, enforcement locations are updated weekly and can be viewed using the City's Open Data maps.

Safety is our priority as a Vision Zero city.  Speed is a factor in every collision. Slowing down and driving to the conditions gives you more time to react to the unexpected and avoid collisions.

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.

Intersection Safety Camera Locations

Automated Enforcement Zones Map - All

Automated Enforcement Zones Map - Weekly

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Why is automated enforcement used?

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.

Why is the City so fixated on speeding?

Slowing down gives you more time to react to the unexpected and can help avoid collisions. While speed doesn’t always cause crashes, it always determines the severity of a crash. Even a small difference in speed can mean the difference between life and death, especially for pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. In 2018, there were more than 24,000 collisions in Edmonton, nearly 1,000 more than in 2017. However, the number of people injured dropped, from more than 3,800 in 2017 to 2,600 in 2018. Fatalities also decreased, from 27 in 2017 to 19 in 2018 (see Motor Vehicle Collisions for more information).

These decreases do not lessen the hardships endured by the people impacted by each collision that results in serious injury and death. However, these rates are trending down along with the number of speeding tickets issued in the same time period. The number of tickets issued fell from 522,780 in 2016 when Vision Zero was initiated to 378,619, with decreases in all ranges of exceeded speed limits (from 10 km/h over the speed limit to 50+ km/h.)

This suggests more people are paying attention to their speeds thanks to speed management and enforcement efforts, and preventing more serious collisions from happening. There is still much to be done but these programs are helping us all move closer to the Vision Zero goal of zero traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries.

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)

Why are speed enforcement vehicles clearly marked?

Making speed enforcement vehicles more visible is part of the City’s ongoing approach to being open and transparent about managing and enforcing speed.

How are Photo Enforcement sites selected?

All sites are selected in accordance with the Automated Traffic Enforcement Technology Guidelines which are set by the Province of Alberta, in relation to high collision corridors, citizen complaints, school zones, construction zones or a history of speeding. We have also reviewed each site to ensure enforcement can be conducted in compliance with the parking standards above.

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

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 tools are used in automated enforcement?

Most people are familiar with photo radar, but speed enforcement also uses the DragonCam and the red light camera to record potential speed violations.

  • Photo Radar - A device that sends out a radar beam that detects and calculates the speed of a vehicle that enters into the line of the beam, and takes a photo if the passing vehicle is exceeding the speed limit
  • DragonCam - A handheld device that shoots laser pulses that are reflected off a vehicle and returned back to the device, where the speed is calculated as time over distance
  • Intersection Safety Devices - Known as red-light and speed-on-green cameras, monitor intersections and photograph vehicles that speed or run through red lights
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. 

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.

Related Documents

Safe Roads - Winter Driving

Safe Roads - Back to School

Safe Roads - Spring and Summer 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

Photo Enforcement

Telephone

780-496-5656
Email photoenforcement@edmonton.ca

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