Red light cameras on Thunder Bay City Council agenda

Thunder Bay city administration is recommending council approve the installation of red light cameras at 10 city intersections.

In a report to be presented to council on Monday, administration states the cameras which are integrated into traffic lights and aredesigned to capture images of any vehicles running a red light have been shown to reduce the number of right angle, or T-bonecollisions at intersections.

"Drivers ignore the traffic signals for two reasons, either intentionally entering the intersection on a red signal or unintentionally due to distractions," the report states. "Right angle collisions are predominantly more severe vehicle collisions. According to the Ministry of Transportation, red light running accounts for 0.8 per centof all Highway Traffic Act convictions, but comprises 26 per centof the fatal roadway traffic accidents."

Other municipalities that have installed red light cameras report they've reduced right-angle collisions by 25 per centand improve overall safety at not only the intersection they're installed at, but also at all other nearby intersections with traffic lights.

However, the report also notes that while the cameras reduce right-angle collisions, rear-end collisions tend to increase at intersections where the cameras have been installed by 15 per cent.

"Rear-end collisions are regarded as non-severe accidents usually resulting in property damage or minor injuries only," the Thunder Bay report states. "Collision data from other municipalities detail that this occurrence is ordinarily during the initial years of implementation and that the rear end collision rate will lower as drivers' behaviours improve."

If the cameras are installed, any images captured would be sent to a processing centre in Toronto, where they would be reviewed by provincial offences officers. If they determine an image captures an offence, a ticket is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

The cost per year to operate the cameras in Thunder Bay across all 10 locations would be $875,000, the report states (the total includes equipment leasing and operation and an educational campaign).

Costs recovered through fines

The cameras would also reduce the number of tickets issued by police, as driver behaviour changes (drivers who are caught running a red light are issued tickets for $325, which includes a fine of $260, victim surcharge of $60, and a $5 court costs, the report states).

However, the cameras would reduce other costs associated with collisions, including health care costs: the report states the "average social costs" of collisions involving injuries is $164,000 for right-angle collisionsand $38,100 for rear-end collisions.

And, the report states, all 12 "of the municipalities currently operating red light cameras in Ontario are recovering the operating costs from the fine revenue."

Revenue projections contained in the council report indicate that would be the case in Thunder Bay, as well.

If council votes to go ahead with the cameras, the city would need to take a number of steps:

• Submit a letter of intent to the Minister of Transportation of Ontario.
• Negotiate an agreement with the vendor for the installation and maintenance of the red light cameras.
• Sign an agreement with the City of Toronto for ticket processing services.
• Follow Court Services processes developed by the guidelines set out by the Ministry of the Attorney General.
• Sign an agreement with Ministry of Transportation Ontario for access to licensing data and to administer the program.

Also, an approval would task administration with finalizing which 10 Thunder Bay intersections would have cameras installed, and include all set-up costs for consideration in the city's 2022 budget.