An Edmonton man has set out to prove whether or not photo radar actually curbs speeding.
Edmonton resident Troy Pavlek gathered data in order to find out how effective the program is. For the last three years he filed freedom of information requests with the city for data on photo enforcement. Pavlek, a software developer by trade, then used code to make sense of the numbers.
“When there’s discussions about photo radar people are angry or passionate, without any data supporting their arguments,” says Pavlek. “I just want to make the data available.”
According to Pavlek, only a fifth of resources are focused on freeways and the majority of enforcement is happening in playgrounds, regular city streets, and where he says speeding is a real problem.
His data also shows the program trending toward lower-speed tickets. In 2014 the number of fines for going six to ten over the speed limit ballooned by 300 per cent and has remained the same since.
He also adds that a third of tickets are given to repeat offenders, which leads him to speculate that photo radar tickets may not be enough of a deterrent.
Councilor Andrew Knack agrees and says the city can design roads differently so it doesn't unintentionally encourage speeding.
“There are such wide open spaces that you just naturally see more people moving quickly on that roadway” councillor Knack added.
Pavlek says he hopes the data can move the photo radar debate forward to focus on the facts.
