37,000 speeders detected at Sask.'s new photo radar sites

Saskatchewan's new photo radar sites recorded more than 37,000 speeders in two months, the government says.

Because it was a trial period, only warning letters will go out.

Had 37,261 real tickets been given out, it would have meant a minimum fine of $140 for each one — or at least $5.2 million for the entire amount.

Many drivers would have been ticketed a lot more than $140, because the fine goes up by how many kilometres per hour the limit is exceeded. According to Saskatchewan Government Insurance, one vehicle on the Ring Road was clocked at 181 kilometres per hour  in a 100 km/h zone. 

The totals for December and January include 27,959 instances of speeding in high-traffic areas and 9,302 instances of speeding in school zones.

One of the fastest school zone speeders was a driver in Regina who was clocked going 45 km/h over the 40 km/h limit.

Provincial officials says they're pleased with the results, because it shows big decreases between December and January — a 33 per cent average decrease at high-speed locations and a 64 per cent average decrease at school zone locations.

It indicates people are becoming aware of photo radar and are slowing down, said Don McMorris, the minister responsible for SGI.

Starting next month, there will be no more warnings.

Photo radar tickets at school zones and the five high-traffic areas begin on March 8.

The equipment takes photos of licence plates and the tickets are sent to the registered owners of the vehicles.

Here are the five high-traffic areas included in the program and the speeding results for December and January:

• Moose Jaw (intersection of Highway 1 and 9th Avenue): 8,318
• Regina (Ring Road): 3,156
• Saskatoon (Circle Drive): 7,126
• Highway 1 between Pilot Butte turnoff and White City: 7,343
• Highway 12 near Martensville: 2,016
• Moose Jaw school zones: 292
• Regina school zones: 8,205
• Saskatoon school zones: 805

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