Starting this week local motorists bound for Saskatchewan’s metropolises should slow down and watch out for photo radar.
Last Monday, SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance) announced that “photo speed enforcement” locations in Martensville, Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw and on Highway 1 between a turnoff to Pilot Butte and White City will be operational as part of a pilot study to make sure the cameras work. Once SGI is confident the photo radar is working, there will be a two-month warning period where drivers caught speeding will be mailed a warning instead of a ticket.
The camera installations are on Highway 12 at Martensville: five spots on Circle Drive in Saskatoon as well as selected school zones; Highway 1 east between the Pilot Butte turnoff and White City; on Regina’s Ring Road and in selected school zones and in Moose Jaw school zones.
Last week black and white signs warning motorists of the photo radar zone were posted in preparation of the cameras becoming operational this week. Yellow informational signs are also posted to let drivers know they are approaching a photo-speed enforcement zone.
After the two-month warning period, drivers caught on the cameras speeding will receive a ticket in the mail.
The tickets are mailed by Xerox, vendor of the program, but they will be mailed behalf of the local law enforcement agency.
“It’s been in the news a lot, it’s been in social media, and if you still try and speed, you will get a ticket,” said Kelley Brinkworth, manager of media relations for SGI.
SGI and municipal police services and the RCMP chose the various photo speed enforcement locations based on high speeds, heavy traffic volumes and places where motorists have difficulty merging onto highways because high speeds make it very dangerous, said Brinkworth.
Certain school zones were selected because motorists were failing to obey the posted 30 kilometres per hour speed limits, making it dangerous.