The City of Toronto’s 50 Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) devices issued a total of 54,391 tickets in October, November and December 2021 near schools in Community Safety Zones.
In October, the devices issued a total of 15,687 tickets, with the device on Victoria Park Avenue near Tiago Avenue (Don Valley North) issuing the most tickets at 2,640, or approximately 17 per cent of all tickets. There were 856 repeat offenders, with the most frequent repeat offender receiving seven tickets for speeding on Military Trail east of Highcastle Road (Scarborough-Guildwood).
In November, the devices issued a total of 11,516 tickets, with the device on Kipling Avenue south of Snaresbrook Drive (Etobicoke North) issuing the most tickets at 1,685, or approximately 15 per cent of all tickets. There were 1,109 repeat offenders, with the most frequent repeat offender receiving 20 tickets for speeding on Priscilla Avenue south of Dundas Street West (Parkdale-High Park).
In December, the devices issued a total of 27,188 tickets, with the device on Royal York Road north of Coney Road (Etobicoke-Lakeshore) issuing the most tickets at 2,724, or approximately 10 per cent of all tickets. There were 2,211 repeat offenders, with the most frequent repeat offender receiving 20 tickets for speeding on Wallingford Road north of Cassandra Boulevard (Don Valley East).
The number of tickets issued in December is comparatively higher due to the inclusion of more arterial roads in the current round of ASE locations, and because the ASE devices were rotating to the current round of locations throughout October and November.
All ASE devices are now enforcing at the fifth round of locations to help reduce speeding at more areas with safety concerns, encourage a wide-ranging deterrent effect and raise public awareness about the need to slow down and obey posted speed limits. Signs have been posted at all locations to warn drivers in advance.
The total payable fine amount includes a set fine, which is determined by Schedule D under the Provincial Offences Act, a victim fine surcharge and applicable court costs. ASE tickets do not incur any demerit points and do not affect a person’s driving record.
The City continues to process Part III offences for excessive speeding incidents captured by the ASE devices. Excessive speeding is when a vehicle has exceeded the speed limit by 50 km/h or more. Under provincial regulations, there is no Set Fine or out-of-court settlement for charges related to excessive speeding. Instead, a summons is served to the registered vehicle owner to appear in court.
To date, 392 Part III charges have been laid since the start of enforcement on July 6, 2020. The highest excessive speed detected was 146 km/h in a 50 km/h speed limit zone on Martin Grove Road north of Garfella Drive (Etobicoke North).
The 50 ASE devices are installed near schools in Community Safety Zones. Sites are selected primarily based on data that indicate where speed and collision challenges exist. Each ward has two ASE devices that capture and record images of vehicles travelling in excess of the posted speed limit.
The ASE program aims to increase road safety, reduce speeding and raise public awareness about the need to slow down and obey posted speed limits. It is designed to work in tandem with other Vision Zero methods and strategies, including engineering measures, education initiatives and traditional police enforcement.
More information about the program, how to pay fees and a map of all current and planned locations are available at Toronto.ca/ASE.
Quotes:
“These numbers continue to show that speed cameras are an important tool in our Vision Zero toolbox that increase enforcement against those choosing to break the law. Our work to implement the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan is continuing non-stop with more Automated Speed Enforcement cameras to be deployed along with other aspects of Vision Zero including road and intersection redesigns, speed limit reductions, the installation of more head start pedestrian signals and increased traffic enforcement by Toronto Police.”
– Mayor John Tory
“We’ve said it again and it’s worth repeating: Speed limits are not suggestions; they are the law. Anyone choosing to speed is endangering themselves and putting the lives of those around them at risk, especially schoolchildren and other vulnerable road users.”
– Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
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