New Guidelines for Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE)
The Government of Alberta released updated ATE guidelines on December 1, 2021. Key changes include:
- Restrictions on ATE use in transition zones and on residential roads with less than 50 km/h speed limits (restrictions do not apply to school, playground, or construction zones).
- Eliminating double ticketing within five minutes.
- Mandating all ATE vehicles be clearly visible.
- Requiring rationale and data for sites to justify the use of ATE.
These changes will come into effect in April 2022. The freeze on new ATE equipment and locations instituted December 1, 2019 will be extended to December 1, 2022.
Alberta Municipalities’ past advocacy on this topic has supported the use of ATE based on research showing that ATE helps decrease motor vehicle collisions, thereby reducing injuries, fatalities, and property damage. Municipalities recognize that the judicious use of photo radar is only one tool of many to promote traffic safety, and revenues generated from photo radar are reinvested in traffic safety programs. We believe that our members are best positioned to determine whether the use of ATE is appropriate for their individual community.
