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Automated enforcement is a rich store of traffic safety information.

EDMONTON, January 30, 2013 – Traffic safety professionals in the Capital Region announced that the Automated Enforcement (AE) data collected from Intersection Safety Devices (ISDs) and Photo Radar Cameras (PRCs) could be used for more than sending tickets to speeders and red light runners. CRISP, the Capital Region Intersection Safety Partnership, has shown that drivers with AE violations are likely to be involved in more serious collisions than other drivers and more likely to be involved in criminal activities.

In 2012, CRISP partners supported a study by Neil Topinka, a researcher from the University of Alberta Criminology program, to explore the potential of AE data and determine how it could be used to improve road safety in the Capital Region. The study used AE data from the City of Edmonton and Strathcona County for 2010-2011. A total of 669,186 violations associated with 378,138 vehicles was used as well as additional collision, driving and criminal records.

“We found there was a connection between AE violations and collisions,” says Sgt. Chris Narbonne of Strathcona RCMP and CRISP Chair. “Drivers with more AE violations had more collisions than other drivers and those with 12 or more violations were involved in more injury collisions. Even more interesting, we found a relationship between high AE violations and those with a criminal history.”

The study found that drivers with criminal records were more likely than drivers without criminal records to have a higher number of AE violations as well as commit demerit-earning violations.

The findings also indicate a case for streamlining data collection between municipalities in the Capital Region. Of the 378,138 vehicles with at least one AE violation, 5.3% committed AE violations in both City of Edmonton and Strathcona County and over 30% of the most prolific AE violators offended in both jurisdictions.

“This study was not about us trying to prove that ISDs are worthwhile at intersections. We already know that ISDs improve traffic safety. They slow drivers down and deter people from running red lights,” explains Narbonne. “What the study shows is how data collected could be used to supplement existing law enforcement strategies to keep both our roads and communities safer for everyone.”

Since 2001, CRISP has worked together to promote intersection safety in the Capital Region. CRISP members include the City of Edmonton, Strathcona County, City of St. Albert, City of Leduc, City of Spruce Grove, City of Fort Saskatchewan, Edmonton Police Service, St. Albert RCMP, Strathcona County RCMP, Alberta Transportation Office of Traffic Safety and Alberta Health Services. CRISP initiatives integrate research, education, engineering and enforcement strategies and target four priorities at intersections: red light violations, speed, pedestrian safety and high crash locations.

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AE and Driver Risk Study News Release (PDF)

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About CRISP

CRISP partners share resources and expertise to implement on-going, collaborative and integrated intersection safety research and initiatives to reduce the frequency and severity of intersection collisions in Alberta’s Capital Region. Initiatives are evidence-based and integrate best practices in the areas of education, engineering and enforcement followed by evaluation of results, and target four priorities: red light violations, pedestrian safety, speed and high crash locations.

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