How Canadians Feel About Traffic Enforcement

A. Traditional Traffic Enforcement
B. Support for Electronic Enforcement Techniques

The Environics Research Group interviewed 2,114 adult Canadians between December 22, 2000 and January 15, 2001. When speaking nationally, these results are accurate to within +/-2.2 percent at a 95 percent level of confidence.

A. Traditional Traffic Enforcement

• Most Canadians are satisfied with the general level of traffic enforcement by police, but a significant minority think more is needed.

A majority of 55 per cent of Canadians think the general level of traditional traffic enforcement by police, including roadside checks, radar, speed traps, and visibility of police in their community, is about right. A significant minority, 38 percent, think there is not enough enforcement. Few (5%) think there is too much enforcement.

Majorities in most regional and demographic groups are satisfied with the general level of traffic enforcement by police:

• Residents of Manitoba, Quebec, particularly in Montreal, and Ontario, especially in Toronto, are more inclined to think there is not enough enforcement.
• Residents of British Columbia, including Vancouver, are more likely than average to think there is too much enforcement. However, even here, a majority is satisfied with the level of enforcement.

Women, Canadians age 60 and older and those with less than a high school education are more inclined to think there is not enough enforcement. Those age 18 to 29 are more likely than average to think there is too much enforcement. However, even among this group, a majority are satisfied with the level of enforcement.

B. Support for Electronic Enforcement Techniques

• Majorities support the use of red light cameras and photo radar.

Canadians were informed that 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 points are assigned to anyone?s driving record.

When asked whether they support various forms of electronic traffic enforcement, Canadians express high levels of support for the use of electronic traffic enforcement techniques, such as red light cameras and photo radar. They are especially enthusiastic about the use of photo radar in school zones and the use of red light cameras; they express less enthusiastic support for the use of photo radar on highways.

More than eight in ten Canadians (84%) support the use of photo radar to identify vehicles that break the speed limit in school zones. Just 15 percent are opposed. Moreover, the proportion who strongly support (65%) is more than seven times than those who strongly oppose (9%).

Eight in ten Canadians (79%) support the use of cameras to identify vehicles that go through intersections after the traffic light has turned red. Only two in ten (21%) are opposed to the use of red light cameras. Moreover, the number who are strongly supportive (55%) is more than four times that who are strongly opposed (12%).

Two-thirds of Canadians (67%) support the use of photo radar to identify vehicles that break the speed limit on the highway. One-third (32%) are opposed. Moreover, the proportion who strongly support (39%) is twice that who strongly oppose (19%).

Majorities in all regional and demographic groups express overall support for all these forms of electronic traffic enforcement:

• Residents of Ontario, particularly in Toronto, are more likely than average to strongly support the use of all these forms of electronic traffic enforcement.
• Albertans are more inclined to strongly support red light cameras and the use of photo radar in school zones.
• Residents of Saskatchewan are also more likely to strongly support the use of red light cameras.
• Atlantic Canadians are more likely to strongly support the use of photo radar in school zones.
• Quebecers are less likely than average to strongly support any of these forms of electronic traffic enforcement.
• Manitobans are less likely to support red light cameras.
• British Columbians, especially Vancouverites, are less likely than average to strongly support the use of photo radar, both on highways and in school zones. Moreover, in Vancouver, the number who are strongly opposed to the use of photo radar on highways is slightly higher than that who are strongly supportive.

Women, older Canadians, homemakers and Anglophones are more likely than average to strongly support the use of all these forms of electronic traffic enforcement. Less affluent Canadians and those with less than a high school education are more likely to strongly support the use of photo radar, both on highways and in school zones.