The streets in New Brunswick may be a little safer for motorcyclists soon. In a province where red light running is the norm, Public Safety minister Robert Trevors says the government is willing to take action, in the form of red light cameras.


Red light cameras, which photograph an offender’s licence plate when they run the traffic signal and send the car’s registered owner a ticket, are not legal in New Brunswick under current provincial legislation. A CBC report claims that Trevors is talking about changes to the Motor Vehicle Act that may allow the devices as early as the end of this year.


Discussion comments on CBC’s website were quick to slam the cameras as a money grab, but here at CMG we believe red light cameras are more beneficial to motorcyclists than speed cameras, which are purely designed to generate revenue. It’s pretty simple – don’t run red lights and you won’t get fined, there is, after all, no good reason to risk someone’s life over a few seconds waiting at an intersection.
If the cameras get installed, though, we’ll keep an eye on yellow light durations – it’d be pretty unsporting of city governments to shorten amber light times in order to fill the public coffers.
Steve- the problem is it ISN’T that simple because governments are always chasing dollars and historically they make changes to the camera’s to increase dollars like reducing the point of no return times. The idea sounds good but it never seems to work out so good. Kind of like a speed limit, what’s the problem, we will set a reasonable limit that is considered safe and then enforce it, but the “reasonable” quickly goes out the window when the money starts rolling in.
I don’t have a problem with red light cameras. Two points: It will stop blatent red light runners. And, those who still want to run lights, I say make them pay. Want to call it a cash grab, I say maybe, but if you like to ignore red lights, you pay, very very simple!!
Red light cameras lead to increase crashes and injuries, just look at what is happening in Winnipeg and Regina. These are all about money and nothing to do with safety.