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GOOD: Photo radar not bad considering other options

A few days ago I found myself thinking something I never thought I’d consider. An Ernst and Young report commissioned by the former Liberal government painted a pretty bleak picture of ICBC.
Bill Good

A few days ago I found myself thinking something I never thought I’d consider.

An Ernst and Young report commissioned by the former Liberal government painted a pretty bleak picture of ICBC.

It indicated if there wasn’t fundamental change in the insurance company our premiums would need to increase by as much as 30 per cent over the next two or three years.

Why? Too many accidents and too many millions paid out in legal settlements.

So I thought: bring back photo radar. I never thought I’d say that, but I think it’s time to consider it.

The more I drive the more I see flagrant abuses of speed.

The new minister responsible for ICBC, David Eby, was quick to reject the idea, but I think he needs to give it a second thought.

When the NDP first brought in photo radar it was badly used. It required well paid and highly trained police officers to operate it.

It was also deployed in “fishing spots” – at the bottom of long hills or in high traffic zones where virtually everyone was driving above the posted speed and wouldn’t know for days they’d been hit with a ticket and may have gotten two or three by the time one arrived in the mail.

Province columnist Mike Smyth revealed that the red light cameras that are installed in many intersections are only operational six hours a day because when they were first put in place they had film that had to be taken out and processed every day.

When they were replaced with digital cameras the insurance company didn’t choose to use them 24/7 because it didn’t want to anger too many drivers.

Well, in my opinion what angers drivers is seeing other drivers abuse speed limits and run red lights.

The other thing that angers drivers is outrageous increases in insurance rates, especially for those with clean driving records and no speeding tickets or tickets for running red lights.

When the NDP government brought in ICBC in the 1970s it did so because people felt ripped off by private insurance companies. Looking back at the NDP government of the 1970s, ICBC would seem one of its best achievements.

ICBC has remained a Crown corporation for more than 40 years because it’s been a good system. Social Credit toyed with replacing it, but didn’t because the public had grown to trust the company. Not everybody loves it, but in 16 years of Liberal rule there was no serious move made to replace it.

Photo radar and more efficient red light cameras would achieve two things: Fewer accidents and increased revenue for a cash-starved insurance company.

I don’t think too many people would complain about that. The NDP invented ICBC and now they have a chance to bring it up to date.

I think if most people were given a choice between bringing back photo radar and improving red light camera enforcement or dramatic increases in insurance premiums, the choice of greater enforcement and fines for bad driving would be very clear.

I’m sure other efficiencies will have to be found in the management of ICBC too, but putting the onus on dangerous drivers and people who abuse the right to drive would be a good start. Even if it’s not popular early in a new government’s mandate there isn’t a better time to start.

I don’t know about you, but one of the reasons I try to drive within posted speed limits is that I hate the idea of paying tickets and it really is avoidable. I also hate the idea of paying much higher premiums so that others can drive too fast and run red lights. I think if Eby sold the idea on those points he might find the public more receptive than he thinks. Photo radar wasn’t a bad idea, it was just badly implemented.

It needs to be rebranded as a way of saving lives and good drivers’ hard-earned money.

Bill Good is a veteran broadcaster currently heard daily on News 1130. @billgood_news

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