Tri-City drivers are no stranger to red light cameras as 10 high-crash intersections are among the 140 across B.C. equipped with the technology.
Now, the cameras will be activated for 24-hours a day, seven days a week, up from the current six hours per day, meaning more people might get caught by the electronic eyes.
Running a red light will cost you $167, with a $25 reduction for paying before 30 days. Fines netted $4.3 million for 34,000 tickets across B.C. last year, with funds going to municipal road safety programs.
Some say the cameras are a cash-grab. ICBC says it’s an enforcement strategy to make people more aware of the danger of running a red light, and hopefully stop them from doing so.
Now that ICBC needs every tool in the kit to keep rates down, it seems turning on red light cameras for longer is a no-brainer.
Unfortunately, red light cameras alone won’t do the trick without a significant public relations campaign.
But having them on around the clock is a step in the right direction to cut the number of crashes in B.C.
