Roadway Safety Tools

To increase roadway safety, Hamilton is one of the participating municipalities to implement Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) technology in designated school and community safety zones.

ASE is an automated system that uses a camera and a speed measurement device to enforce speed limits. The ASE tool, when used in collaboration with other methods such as engineering, education and enforcement is used to help improve road user safety by increasing speed compliance, altering driver behaviour and increasing public awareness about the critical need to slow down in designated school zones and community safety zones.

Automated Speed Enforcement is proven to effectively enforce speed limits, increase driver awareness and decrease injuries and fatalities as a result of motor vehicle collisions in other Canadian provinces and countries around the world.

What is Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE)?

ASE, also referred to as an automated system that uses a camera and a speed measurement device to enforce speed limits, is a speed enforcement tool that uses technology to help make roads safer for all road users. An ASE system captures and records images of vehicles travelling in excess of the posted speed limit in school zones and community safety zones with tickets issued to the registered plate holder regardless of who was driving. This will result in a monetary fine, but no demerit points will be applied.

On September, 20th 2021, Council directed staff to initiate a full time automated speed enforcement program to be used in designated school zones and community safety zones through the City of Hamilton. The program supports the City of Hamilton Vision Zero Action Plan and the principles of Vision Zero to reduce speeds and overall injuries as a result of motor vehicle collisions.

The City has activated its Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras and began issuing tickets to speeding drivers since October 1, 2020.

Automated Speed Enforcement Locations

Frequently Asked Questions

The Dynamic Speed Signs contain a radar device and an LED display. The radar measures the speeds of oncoming vehicles and the LED sign displays their speeds to the passing motorists. The unit functions as an educational tool for residents and motorists to raise awareness about motor vehicle speeds. The equipment is for information purposes only and does not issue speeding tickets. 

Purpose of the Dynamic Speed Signs

Dynamic Speed Signs have been introduced to the City of Hamilton as part of a safety initiative to reduce vehicle speed. The operating speed electronically displayed is a strong visual reminder to the motorist to comply with the posted speed limit.

LED Speed Sign Display Accuracy

The signs have been tested and are to within +/- 4 km/h of the displayed speed, so there may be some differences between what the sign and your spedometer display. Traffic Engineering still uses Automatic Traffic Counters on the road for accurate measures of speed and volume when needed.

The Red Light Camera program is designed to:

• modify aggressive driving behaviour
• increase awareness of the dangers of running red lights

Running red lights is illegal. It is unsafe for motorists to enter an intersection after the signal light has turned red.

Experience suggests that the program improves road safety as evidenced by a decrease in fatal and injury collisions across the six participating municipalities.

How Red Light Cameras Work

Red light cameras do not replace police officers; they complement police efforts. The cameras are set so that only vehicles that enter an intersection after the light turns red are photographed. Vehicles that enter on green or amber lights are not photographed. Motorists already in an intersection when the signal changes to red (waiting to turn) are not red light runners.

If the red light camera is flashing and taking photos while the light is green, technicians are checking the camera hardware and changing the film. Tickets are not issued for vehicles going through on a green light.

Tickets from Red Light Cameras

The City of Hamilton installs and operates red light cameras, but tickets are processed by the Joint Processing Centre (City of Toronto).

Provincial Offences Officers review every picture taken by the red light cameras to verify vehicle information and ensure that the vehicle is in violation. Tickets are mailed only in cases where it is clear that the vehicle ran the red light. The registered license plate holder receives the ticket, regardless of who was driving the vehicle. Tickets are typically mailed by the Joint Processing Centre within four weeks of the offence. 

The fine for running a red light detected by a camera system or a police officer is $260, plus a $60 victim fine surcharge and $5 for costs for a total of $325. Failing to stop for a red light where a police officer issues a ticket results in three demerit points.

If you have questions about your ticket, call the Courthouse at 905-540-5592.

Privacy - In consultation with the Privacy Commissioner, every attempt has been made to minimize capturing members of the public in the photos. If members of the public are inadvertently captured on film, it will not be possible to identify them from the photos on the tickets.