Photo radars hit hard this summer in road work zone this summer, with thousands of savory tickets that hurt the portfolio of many motorists and permit in Quebec to replenish the chests.
In Trois-Rivières, near the Laviolette bridge, motorists have received several observations for the same offense, a few days apart.
This is the case of Martine Bonin, whose vacation budget was sealed by expensive sanctions. She had to pay $ 1384 for her four tickets of $ 346.
“I live on the South Shore, but I work in Trois-Rivières. So I had more likely to receive it, ”she explained. She committed her offenses on June 23 and 25 and the 1is and July 9.
Screenshot/VAT Nouvelles
She received the first observation 20 days after the first offense, on July 12, too late to change her habits. Mme Bonin denounces the multiplication of findings before even having been informed. It also pleads the absence of workers on construction sites during its passages.
The MTQ has carried out emergency work when approaching the bridge, lowering the speed limit to 70 km/h. In 45 days, Québec awarded 12,238 findings, totaling $ 5.4 million. This radar was among the five most lucrative for the Ministry of Justice.
Mme Bonin was driving at just over 90 km/h. She consulted a lawyer, but contesting a contravention linked to a photo radar is difficult.
“There would be additional costs of $ 112 per lost contravention,” she says. She signed a petition and contacted her deputy Donald Martel.
Citizens ask the MTQ to reverse.
“We do not ask for the cancellation of tickets, but that of the doubling of the amounts, to respect a principle of equity,” says Louis Dupuis, author of the petition.
Dangerous behavior
Since 2011, fines in the work zone have been doubled, recalls Émilie Lord, spokesperson for MTQ. She claims that radars aim to correct dangerous behavior.
“The behavior of drivers is involved in the majority of accidents in the work zone, in particular inattention, distraction, speed and following too closely,” she said.
Photo Agence QMI, JOEL LEMAY
She cites the site of the staging bridges of the Félix-Leclerc motorway in Quebec, where more than twenty accidents were listed before the holidays.
No radar was installed near Boulevard de l’Ormière, but one recently placed as the George-Muir sector approaches.
In construction areas, traffic conditions can be different from the usual conditions, she indicates, citing the reduced width of the tracks, the deviation of the tracks, the absence of shoulder, the irregular road, the absence of marking and the judgment undergoes traffic.
The MTQ indicates that three panels announce the presence of a radar under construction.
“Orange signaling allows security traffic, even in the absence of workers,” says Mr.me Lord. “The traffic conditions remain unusual,” she adds.
For its part, the CAA estimates that radars must complete police surveillance and be used under specific conditions, notes its spokesperson Nicolas Ryan. “The CAA-Quebec agrees with their use, but under certain conditions: difficult surveillance, limited operation at active work periods, and adequate signaling,” says its thesis deposited in the National Assembly.
Top 5 most paid radars this summer
May to July 31
Observations: 14,829
Total amassed: $ 5.5M
June to July 31
Findings: 12,238
Total amassed: $ 5.4M
From June 12 to July 31
Observations: 12,426
Total amassed: $ 5.6M
May to July 31
Findings: 14,614
Total amassed: $ 4M
Settledly installed at the end of July
Findings: 159
Total amassed: $ 75,552
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The most paid site radar
Since February 2023
Observations: 66 894
Total amassed: $ 26.1M