Regina police review red light cameras

Regina police are reviewing the city's red light cameras and could add more, take some away, or move them elsewhere.

For 12 years red light cameras have been snapping photos of motorists in Regina. The cameras are at four locations and are programmed to take pictures of a vehicle when a driver illegally enters an intersection during a red light. Using the images, authorities mail a $230 ticket to the owner of the car. Legislation was passed making the owner responsible for the ticket, no matter who was at the wheel.

In 2009 the cameras sent tickets to almost 3000 motorists running red lights in Regina.

The break-down was:

• Westbound Saskatchewan Drive at Albert Street: 106 tickets.
• Northbound Saskatchewan Drive at Albert Street: 726 tickets.
• Intersection of Lewvan Drive and Dewdney Avenue: 187 tickets.
• Intersection of Albert Street and Parliament Avenue: 1,748 tickets.

"What we have seen is that there has been a decline in either 90 degree collisions or opposing left hand turn collisions and that's the sole purpose behind the red light camera program," said the red light camera program coordinator Sgt. Andrew Puglia.

Assessing the cost

But Puglia says he's not sure if the cameras are at the right locations or if they're cost effective. "After 12 years it's a good business practise ... a good idea to look at what we're doing."

In fact, the police service said it was reviewing the cameras after it was disclosed last year that the Albert Street and Parliament Avenue camera was far more effective at catching drivers than the others.

Puglia said he has asked Saskatchewan Government Insurance to analyze the type and number of accidents at each location. Paglia said right-angle crashes must be common before any new location would be considered. "If that's not the case it would be a total waste of money to install a red light camera at that location," he said.

The existing cameras have proven effective at reducing right angle collisions, or t-bones, they are down down by 45 per cent in Regina and Saskatoon.

But rear end crashes at camera locations are up by 16 percent as drivers slam on the brakes to avoid a ticket.