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Clara Ho, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Wednesday, September 17

EDMONTON -- Edmonton police wrapped up a 24-hour speeding enforcement blitz Tuesday morning after issuing a total of 1,944 speeding tickets.

"We want people of our city to realize speeding is not going to be tolerated," police Chief Mike Boyd said Tuesday at police headquarters downtown.

"We're going to take whatever action we need to bring so we can establish safety on our streets.

View Larger Image
"Don't Speed" signs are up around town as part of a 24-hour anti-speeding blitz.
Photographer, The Journal

"Operation 24 Hours" was a joint effort by Edmonton police, Alberta sheriffs, the Office of Traffic Safety and the city's transportation department, implemented to tackle Edmonton's growing speeding problem.

The blitz was conducted to gauge the speeding problem, which has been brought forth as a key concern by many residents, said Boyd.

From 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday, police and sheriffs were out in full force using enforcement methods such as aircraft, photo radar, mobile and stationary radar, and lasers. Signs were up around the city, flashing the words "Big ticket event" to remind drivers to slow down.

In total, 2,267 traffic tickets were issued, which included 1,944 speeding tickets. In comparison, police issued 2,186 speeding tickets throughout the entire month of August.

People caught in the blitz were of all ages, from all walks of life, said Staff Sgt. Bill Horne, adding that police caught everyone "from high-school kids to grandmas and grandpas."

One of the highest recorded speeds was a driver going 173 km/h in a 70 km/h zone at 91st Street and 23rd Avenue, Boyd said. It was near the location of a traffic-related double fatality about two weeks ago.

Other high-speed areas were near Groat Road and Emily Murphy Park Road, where speeders reached up to 140 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, and near 109th Street and 70th Avenue, where the highest recorded speed was 100 km/h in a 50 km/h zone.

In one instance, a driver was caught on Anthony Henday Drive. As soon as he was ticketed, he sped off and was caught a second time going even faster.

"Enforcement is something we need to do, because for some people that's the only way they will learn," Boyd said. "It's if they're summoned enough times and it hits them in the pocketbook."

Boyd said Edmonton police don't have quotas for speeding tickets.

The results of the blitz will be analyzed to gain a clearer picture of the problem in the city and examine why more people speed in particular areas of the city.

cho@thejournal.canwest.com

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SPEEDING RISKS

- In 2007, police investigated 148 collisions and found that speed played a factor in one out of four.

- In 2007, 22 crashes resulting in injury and 11 fatal crashes involved excessive speed.

- So far in 2008, two fatal crashes and four that resulted in injuries involved excessive speed.

- In Canada, speed is a factor in 30 per cent of fatal crashes and 12 per cent of all crashes.

Figures from Edmonton police and Canada Safety Council

© The Edmonton Journal 2008