Red light running an "epidemic"

Wed, 2007-11-28 07:00.

Mark Carcasole

City Councillor Michael Thompson brought forward a motion at Wednesday morning's meeting of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee to crack down on people who run red lights. City staff will look into the stats and cost of curbing red light infractions and report back in February before taking the recommendations to the province.

City statistics show that from November of 2001 to this September, Toronto's red light cameras have recorded almost 72,000 infractions, and Toronto Police have issued over 12,000 tickets. Those incidents have resulted in six collisions and two fatalities in that span. Calling it an "epidemic," Thompson wants the Province to look at a few measures, including "increasing the fines,...demerit points," as well as an educational campaign and suspending the license of anyone who injures someone due to running a red. Thompson also wants the city to install more red light cameras at troubled intersections, even if that means multiple cameras at the same cross street. He says it's a move that, through revenue generated by fines, would pay for itself. The CAA has given its support to that idea.