Crackdown on Red Light Running

[unimaginative2]

City eyes crackdown on running red lights

JENNIFER LEWINGTON

CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF

April 3, 2008

A crackdown looms for drivers who run red lights in Toronto with a city proposal to expand the use of cameras at dangerous intersections and a plea for the province to impose stiffer penalties.

The city currently rotates 25 cameras among 37 sites, but would be armed with 98 cameras shared among 169 locations by the end of 2009 under a report from city officials to be discussed at the public works committee next week.

As well, the province may be asked to impose bigger fines and hike demerit points for drivers, since Toronto has no authority to impose its own penalties.

The recommendations, broadly endorsed yesterday by the Canadian Automobile Association and the Insurance Bureau of Canada, offered no specific advice to the province on penalties.

But councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), who last November called for a crackdown after two female pedestrians in his ward died in separate red-light-running incidents, says the province should raise the fine to $500 from $180, and double the number of demerit points (docked only when the police lay a charge) to six from three.

"We need to get their attention," he said yesterday, adding that he wants cameras installed permanently at the most troublesome of the city's 2,100 intersections with stoplights.

A spokeswoman for Ontario Transportation Minister Jim Bradley said she would not comment on a report that still needs council approval.

But Nicole Lippa-Gasparo added "we always welcome reports from our municipal partners that would help make our roads safer."

 

[W. K. Lis]

Do the cameras catch one if they don't stop while making a right turn? Or do they recognize you coming to a full stop before making a right turn?
That is a pet-peeve of mine, the not coming to a full stop at a red light before making a turn.

 

[cruzin4u]

I find jaywalkers more dangerous than red light runners. Maybe they should start charging jaywalkers who don't look both ways when crossing the street.

My pet peeve is that the traffic light control system is a mess. You have high flow intersections where the turn lights do not last long enough. When you pull up to make a left turn and the moron infront of you is sleeping and it turns red, you have no choice but to turn on red. So then, will you be ticketed for that?

 

[egotrippin]

The left hand turn signals for a lot of Spadina intersections are terrible. There's really only enough time for the first two cars before it turns, especially at Queen. Also University Avenue lights are really quick, there's not even enough time to walk across during the east-west light cycle. I miss my car, but I'm glad I don't drive anymore at the same time.

 

[JasonParis]

Also University Avenue lights are really quick, there's not even enough time to walk across during the east-west light cycle.

..and if you e-mail The City about this they will tell you that it's designed as a "2-stage crossing." As if anyone is going to wait twice.

 

[lister]

Also University Avenue lights are really quick, there's not even enough time to walk across during the east-west light cycle.

There's plenty of time if you have a long stride and aren't a dead slow walker.

 

[lister]

Oh, the proposed fine increase is still a joke. Try a minimum $1000 fine. If there's a crash involved then the fine should go up even higher. I'm sure the insurance companies are licking their chops over the proposed six demerit points and a nice big hike in insurance rates for those convicted.

 

[Mustapha]

There is red light running because

the law isn't enforced. Go for a walk. Red light ... you'll hear often a gunning engine - the driver is actually not just ignoring the light; he's (always a he) now making a dangerous situation more dangerous.

Jaywalking. In my nabe, there are seniors homes on Yonge north of Lawrence and Mt Pleasant south of Eglinton. Hour after hour these folks come out on canes and walkers and proceed to cross the street about 80 feet from a signaled intersection. Two summers ago, a man lost his life - the evidence was a bloody sneaker and crushed groceries. Next day, another man from the same home doing the same thing.

Don't get me going about young parents doing this with a stroller and toddlers. Morons. Lot's of this around Yonge and Eg.

 

[unimaginative2]

I know it's very popular these days to introduce wild fines for all these offences, but I really don't think it's fair for someone to pay a thousand dollars, a potentially devastating amount, just for cutting a yellow a little too close.

I really think they should introduce two-stage crossings of Spadina. That would eliminate the excessively long light cycles that really hold up the streetcar. Speedy walkers would still be able to cross in one light

 

[Hydrogen]

My big wish is that all drivers would look both ways carefully when turning right on a red.

 

[PukeGreen]

Crank up the fines. Take traffic violations more seriously, especially downtown where there are so many pedestrians. Walking around this city can be a downright dangerous experience, especially at rush hour when all the drivers are in a hurry. The red light runners and cars making right turns on reds without properly stopping or checking for pedestrians are the most dangerous, as are those who continually get stuck in the middle of crosswalks and intersections when the lights change. The cause of this is simple: many drivers don't want to stop at a red. Yes, I know some pedestrians jaywalk in dumb places but that's a different issue (go ahead and fine them, too) and I hate when drivers raise that as a "defence": are you inferring that pedestrians deserve to die because some jaywalk? Jaywalkers kill themselves, aggressive drivers kill the innocent.

A couple hundred dollar fine to the average driver is just an annoyance, a mosquito bite. Hell, for some it's barely more than a tank of gas. It's not enough to deter people from dangerous driving habits. There are no "accidents" in a car: only mistakes and aggressive driving. $1000 and some points will make even the wealthiest of drivers take notice.

I don't understand why the enforcement of traffic laws raises such ire. If you don't want a ticket, don't speed, don't run lights, don't enter an intersection if you can't see the way out. Young Driver's Day 1. Grow up and follow the laws.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Forget the red light cameras. Instead we should have a police officer and cruiser stationed at each high risk intersection. Those extra hundred or so officers can be more than paid for through fines. Only police presence will stop this.

 

[Hipster Duck]

In Finland I understand that you pay traffic violation fines as a percent of your income. We should implement something like that here.

 

[afransen]

I find jaywalkers more dangerous than red light runners. Maybe they should start charging jaywalkers who don't look both ways when crossing the street.

My pet peeve is that the traffic light control system is a mess. You have high flow intersections where the turn lights do not last long enough. When you pull up to make a left turn and the moron infront of you is sleeping and it turns red, you have no choice but to turn on red. So then, will you be ticketed for that?

If someone is turning left in front of you, you shouldn't be in the intersection.

 

[cruzin4u]

If someone is turning left in front of you, you shouldn't be in the intersection.

Not every intersection is the same.

Try making a left turn at Woodbine and Steeles. Because there is no left hand turn on the other side, there's enough room for 3 vehicles at times to be in the intersection.