Canadians Overwhelmingly Support Photo Radar And Red Light Cameras

Toronto, ON - As traffic collisions caused by excessive speed and drivers who fail to obey the signals of the road continue to claim the lives of many Canadians each year, a new Ipsos Reid poll finds that an overwhelming majority (84%) of Canadians either `strongly' (60%) or `somewhat support' (24%) the use of photo radar to identify vehicles that break the speed limit in school zones. Similarly, seven in ten (69%) Canadians either `strongly' (37%) or `somewhat support' (32%) the use of photo radar in identifying vehicles that break the speed limit on the highway. Further, eight in ten (77%) Canadians either `strongly' (50%) or `somewhat support' (28%) the use of cameras to identify vehicles that go through intersections after the traffic light has turned red. Two thirds (67%) of Canadians believe that signs should be posted to warn motorists of the presence of photo radar or cameras.

Photo enforcement is often seen as a suitable supplement to more traditional forms of policing, and is becoming more popular as more resources are needed to police the growing population of Canada. But when it comes to the general level of traditional traffic enforcement by police in communities, including speed traps and roadside checks, four in ten (42%) Canadians believe that the level of enforcement is `not enough' - marking a seven-point increase since 2003, when the same question was asked in a similar survey. However, nearly half (49%) believe that the current level of traffic enforcement and general visibility of police in their community is `about right', while 7% of Canadians believe that the level of traffic enforcement and visibility of police in their communities is `too much'.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of the Canada Safety Council from July 10-12, 2007. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1,002 was interviewed by telephone. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.

Canadians Support Photo Enforcement...

Electronic enforcement involves using cameras instead of police to identify vehicles that speed or run red lights. The owner of the vehicle is fined, but no demerit points are assigned to anyone's driving record. When it comes to using photo radar to identify vehicles that break the speed limit in school zones, six in ten (60%) strongly support it, while one quarter (24%) somewhat support its use for this purpose. 6% of Canadians somewhat oppose, and 9% strongly oppose the use of photo radar for this purpose.

• Quebecers are among most likely to support the use of photo radar in school zones, with nine in ten (89%) indicating their support. Equally, nine in ten (89%) residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are in support. However, fewer Ontarians (79%) are in support of this idea.
• Older Canadians, aged 55 and older, are more likely (88%) to support the use of photo radar in school zones than middle-aged Canadians (83%), aged 35 to 54, or young Canadians (82%), aged 18 to 34.
• Women (87%) are more likely to support this measure than men (81%). When it comes to the use of photo radar on the highways of Canada, seven in ten (69%) Canadians support its use.
• Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are most likely to support (76%) the use of photo radar on their highways, followed by residents of British Columbia (73%), and those living in Atlantic Canada (72%). Just 64% of Quebecers support the use of photo radar on their highways.
• Older Canadians are much more likely (78%) to support the use of photo radar on highways than middle-aged (68%) or younger Canadians (60%).
• Women are more likely (73%) than men (64%) to support the use of photo radar on highways.
• Canadians living in urban centres (70%) are more likely than those living in rural settings (64%) to support the use of photo radar on highways. Turning to the use of red light cameras which identify vehicles that go through intersections after the traffic light has already turned red, nearly eight in ten (77%) support its use for this purpose.
• Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (88%) are most likely to support this idea, followed by residents in British Columbia (84%), Quebec (79%) and Atlantic Canada (79%).
• Older Canadians (84%) are more likely to support this concept than middle-aged Canadians (77%) or younger Canadians (72%).
• Women are more likely (81%) to support the use of red light cameras than men (74%).

Canadians Believe Motorists Should Be Warned...

If photo radar and red light cameras were to be installed along highways and at intersections, two thirds (67%) of Canadians believe that warning signs should be posted to advise motorists of their presence. On the other hand, one third (31%) believe that warning signs should not be posted.

• Residents of Atlantic Canada (78%) are the most likely to indicate that they believe signs should be posted, while just over one half (55%) of Albertans believe that it is necessary to post signs. In fact, nearly half (44%) of Albertans believe that signs should not be posted to warn motorists.
• Younger Canadians are more likely (72%) than middle-aged (64%) or older Canadians (63%) to believe that warning signs should be posted.
• Men are slightly more likely (68%) than women (65%) to believe that warning signs should be posted.

Four In Ten (42%) Believe There Is `Not Enough' Traditional Traffic Enforcement In Their Community...

Four in ten (42%) Canadians believe that there is `not enough' traditional traffic enforcement in their own community, compared to 7% of Canadians who believe that there is `too much'. One half (49%) of Canadians, however, believe that there is about the right amount of traditional enforcement in their community.

• Quebecers are the most likely (48%) of all regions in Canada to believe that there is not enough traditional traffic enforcement by police in their communities.
• Just one in three (35%) residents in Saskatchewan and Manitoba believe that there is not enough traditional traffic enforcement in their communities.
• Women (47%) are more likely than men (37%) to believe that there is not enough traditional traffic enforcement in their communities. Men (10%) are more likely than women (5%) to believe that there is too much enforcement in this regard.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Will Daley
Senior Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(613) 241-5802
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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