Photo Radar – Automated Speed Enforcement
Photo radar speed cameras use a camera to capture images of vehicles travelling in excess of the posted speed limit.
Photo Radar Speeding Tickets
In 2020 the Ontario government legislated the use of speed measuring photo radar cameras.
Photo radar cameras detect the speed of a moving vehicle using radar.
When a vehicle is detected speeding, the camera system takes a picture of the licence plate of the vehicle.
The cameras work remotely, with no police officer or operator.
Speed cameras are also called Automated Speed Enforcement systems. Speeding tickets from photo radar cameras are mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.
How Speed Cameras Work
When vehicle passes a speed camera, the radar system within the speed camera measures the speed of the vehicle. Where the vehicle is travelling over the speed limit, the camera takes a picture of the licence plate.
The speed camera records:
- speed of the vehicle
- licence plate, and vehicle
- date & time of the offence
- direction of travel
The information and photograph are recorded and stored within the unit.
Photo Radar – Issuing the Ticket
A Provincial Offences Officer reviews the information received from the photo radar camera and confirms that the vehicle was speeding.
Where the officer believes the vehicle was speeding, the officer mails a speeding ticket to the registered address of the owner.
Photo Radar Penalties
Photo radar tickets penalties are in the same category as parking tickets, meaning:
- fine only
- no demerit points
- does not appear on driving record
The conviction for speeding goes against the vehicle not against the driver.
Enforcement of Photo Radar Tickets
As of 2022 the provincial government has removed the fee to renew a vehicles licence plate.
Subsequently for persons who decide not to pay the fine, there is no current enforcement, other than a late fee.
Upon selling or buying a new vehicle the fine would have to be paid before a new licence plate would be issued.
Insurance Implications
There are no insurance implications for photo radar tickets. Photo radar tickets do not affect insurance rates.
Photo radar tickets do not go the owners driving records or insurance, nor are insurance providers given access to the information.
The reason photo radar tickets are not associated to the driver is because, the driver is not identified by the camera system, only the vehicle.
Photo Radar – Plate Denial
Photo radar tickets are issued to the owner of the motor vehicle, the penalty goes against the vehicle, not the driver.
Where the owner refuses or neglects to pay the fine, the fine is then placed upon the vehicle licence (licence plates). Upon renewal the owner will subject to a “Plate Denial”. Plate denial means, that the speeding ticket fee will be added to the plate renewal.
The owner will not be allowed to renew the validation of the plate without paying the fine.
Fighting Photo Radar Tickets
Most legal advocates will advise that there is no merit to fighting a photo radar ticket, because:
- the ticket does not go on the driving record
- there are no insurance implications for photo radar tickets
- there are no demerit points issued.
As the fine is the only penalty, there is no merit in paying a fee to a paralegal or lawyer to dispute a fine.
Where the fine is excessive, the owner may wish to appear at court and request a reduced fine.