Evaluation of photo radar program in British Columbia

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Abstract

This article presents the results of an evaluation of the speed and traffic safety effects of the photo radar program in British Columbia (BC) after 1 year of full operation. Traffic speed data were collected from the photo radar units and from induction loops installed across the province. Traffic collision and injury data were obtained from police investigation reports and from BC ambulance services records. The study employed a number of analytical frameworks, including simple before and after comparison, time-series cross-sectional analysis, and interrupted time series analysis. The study revealed a dramatic reduction of speed at photo radar deployment sites. A reduction of 2.4 km/h in mean speed was also observed at selected monitoring sites where enforcement was not likely to be present. The reduction of speed was accompanied by a decrease in collisions, injuries and fatalities. The analysis found a 25% reduction in daytime unsafe speed related collisions, an 11% reduction in daytime traffic collision victims carried by ambulances and a 17% reduction in daytime traffic collision fatalities.

Introduction

Unsafe speed is a major contributing factor to traffic collisions in British Columbia. During 1995 ‘unsafe speed’, as judged by police attending collisions, was involved in 37% of all fatal collisions, 15% of all personal injury collisions, and 9% of all property damage only collisions. More than 8000 people were injured and 184 people killed in the 10,564 unsafe speed related collisions in 1995, resulting in severe social and economic cost to British Columbians. It is generally acknowledged that speeding may also play a role in other collisions, not specifically identified by the police as involving ‘unsafe’ speed.

In response to this problem, the provincial government and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) introduced the photo radar program (PRP) in 1996. The goal of the photo radar program is to achieve a 3% reduction in mean traffic speed on roads throughout the province, presumably through a generalized deterrence effect. It was assumed that a reduction in speed would lead to a decrease in the number and severity of traffic collisions. This study set out to assess the effectiveness of the program.

Section snippets

Background

Various types of photo radar devices and programs have been tested and implemented in the past 30 years (Coleman et al., 1996). Although Europe was the pioneer in adopting this technology, successful applications have also been reported from Australia and New Zealand.

Photo radar was introduced in Norway in 1988. Elvik (1997) conducted a before–after study of the effects of the program on collisions, controlling for general trend and regression to the mean. The study found a statistically

Program description and hypotheses

The photo radar program in British Columbia consists of two major components: a province-wide deployment of 30 mobile speed monitoring camera units and a major communications effort to publicize the program and to educate the public.

The photo radar device includes a cross-the-road Doppler radar, a camera with a flash, and a laptop computer, all mounted on an unmarked mini van. The vans are various colors but all the same model and body style. The vans are parked in easily visible locations,

Method

Traffic speed data were collected to evaluate the speed effect of the photo radar program. Speed data were collected by two types of instruments: the photo radar devices and the speed induction loops. Photo radar units automatically collect data when the program is in operation. Speed data from the photo radar units were used to assess the program in the presence of police enforcement.

Unobtrusive induction loops embedded in pavement were used to collect speed data to assess the generalized

Traffic speed at photo radar sites

The proportion of speeding vehicles at photo radar sites during deployment hours declined following the introduction of the photo radar program. As shown in Fig. 1, the percentage of vehicles over the posted speed limits dropped from 66% in May 1996 to 33% at the end of the year. This represents a 50% reduction in speeding vehicles in 7 months’ time. The proportion of speeding vehicles at the deployment sites has remained at below 40%.

It can be noted that there was a gradual reduction of speed

Discussion and conclusions

The BC photo radar program appears to have been successful in achieving public awareness of the program, in reducing traffic speed at deployment sites and to a lesser extent throughout the province and in reducing traffic collision injuries and fatalities. Approximately 95% of the BC insured vehicle owners knew of the forthcoming photo radar program before its introduction. The proportion of speeding vehicles at the photo radar deployment sites decreased by 50% in 7 months’ time. The mean speed

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