New guidelines on photo radar focused on safety, not revenue generation

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• Improve accountability by clarifying roles and responsibilities for photo radar programs.

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• Require municipal Traffic Safety Plans to use collision data to ensure photo radar programs are directly tied to safety. The plans will be audited by the provincial government to ensure compliance.

• Require police services and/or municipalities to post and update photo radar locations and their rationale on municipal/police websites every month (links will be provided on Alberta.ca/photoradar).

• Prohibit the use of photo radar in transition zones (i.e. adjacent to speed limit signs where speed limits change).

• Prohibit the use of photo radar on high-speed multi-lane roadways, unless there is a documented traffic safety issue.

• Require annual reporting and evaluation of how photo radar programs are achieving traffic safety outcomes.

A release from the province states these changes will enhance transparency, increase oversight and ensure that photo radar can be used only to improve road safety.

Minister of Transportation Brian Mason says the goal of this process is to eliminate photo radar as a tool for revenue generation.

“Photo radar operations must contribute to significant traffic safety outcomes, like reducing collisions and saving lives. We are updating the provincial photo radar guidelines to provide the direction and clarity that municipalities and police agencies need in order to focus on safety.”

Conventional traffic enforcement, such as police patrolling or scanning traffic with radar, is still allowed in locations where automated enforcement is prohibited. Radar is also still allowed in school zones, playground zones and construction zones.

Over the next year, the government will work with municipalities to implement guideline changes, allowing enough time for municipalities to adapt.

They will also work with municipalities to refine the guidelines for photo radar site selection, operational restrictions and data collection that will allow for improved and ongoing program evaluation.

Mason said during his availability on Thursday, Feb. 21, that if a municipality cannot show a certain photo radar location is helping safety as opposed to just raking in revenue that location won’t be allowed to continue to operate.