To: Dr. Erika Paterson
From: Gareth Yuen
Date: February 24, 2023
Subject: Formal Report Proposal for Improving Road Safety in West Vancouver Residential Area
Audience
This report can be used to inform and advise the West Vancouver council to take appropriate action in enforcing speed limits to protect West Vancouver residents.
Introduction
In 1918, Canada established a road safety law in consideration of the safety of pedestrians and other motorists. Thus, 50km/hr was introduced as a national safety speed limit, where respective provinces and municipalities can set their own speed limits. For example, in West Vancouver, the speed limit for most residential streets is 30 km/hr, while major arterial roads are 50 km/hr. However, even though there are radar speed signs around West Vancouver to notify drivers of their speed as a reminder to slow down, they tend to be neglected by speeding drivers.
Statement of Problem
The speed limit of the West Vancouver major arterial roads is 50km/hr, yet cars can be observed going above the speed limit by 20 to 40 km/hr through the observations of the local speed detectors. With the limited vision and narrow spacing on the road, it is unsafe for all users who share the road, especially cyclists and pedestrians, who are more prone to suffer lethal injuries in speeding accidents. Moreover, while there are radar speed signs around West Vancouver to remind drivers of their speed, speeding drivers tend to ignore them, rendering the radar speed signs useless. Which could endanger public and road safety as the speed limits are not being followed and enforced. Thus, an alternative must be proposed to solve the speeding problem as a precaution against accidents.
Proposed Solutions
One possible solution to this problem is installing speed cameras to enforce the speed limit, where the speed camera would take a picture upon detecting excessive speed. The photo can then be sent to the police department or ICBC for fines and legal actions. For example, the utilization of speed cameras is popular in Hong Kong, where it can be observed throughout the city as a method to deter speeding. The speed cameras are especially effective as violators will be fined increasingly with each repeated offense. Moreover, manual camera action can also be observed on particular roads where law enforcement would set a hidden speed camera operated by an officer who would communicate with a roadblock down the road to catch speeding drivers. However, unlike speed cameras, police officers cannot operate for 24 hours and seven days a week, but since speed cameras are automatic, they can operate and monitor the road at all times. Thus, by installing speed cameras, drivers would be more aware of their driving speed to avoid being fined and ticketed, significantly improving road safety.
Scope
To evaluate how to improve the road safety of West Vancouver in terms of effectively enforcing the speed limit, I propose six questions:
- How effective are the radar speed signs on Stevens Drive in West Vancouver?
- Is there a speeding problem, and should it be a concern?
- How effective will the camera be once people learn of its location and coverage?
- Would there be a violation of privacy concerns?
- How much should the speeding fine be?
- Would West Vancouver residents support the installation of speed cameras?
Methods
The primary source will be the data collected from online surveys targeted at West Vancouver residents based on the six questions proposed. The survey will be distributed through online platforms such as Facebook and Instagram for wider data collection, I will also be conducting surveys in person at the West Vancouver Community Center. However, since West Vancouver is probably unfamiliar with the concept of speed cameras, it would be beneficial to explain to them what a speed camera is during the survey for effective data collection. Moreover, residents other than West Vancouver can also participate in the survey to increase the sample size, as this road safety concern is applicable everywhere.
The secondary source will be the research and references from news reports and articles about speed cameras, analyzing their effectiveness, strength, and weaknesses with data from other countries’ utilization of speed cameras, especially in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
My Qualifications
As a concerned citizen, I am qualified to voice my opinions and contribute to the greater good of society as a whole. As a resident of West Vancouver, I have first-hand experience with the speeding problem and concerns. I know how narrow and dangerous the roads could be with the abundant quick turns and steep hills. As a responsible driver, I am concerned for my and others’ safety on the road, as speeding is one of the major factors in accidents. Speed limits are implemented to ensure safety for all road users. Nonetheless, violating the speed limit is considered illegal because it could endanger the lives of others. Thus, as a responsible citizen, I am obligated and qualified to propose a solution that could possibly solve a safety concern.
Conclusion
There are many ways to improve and enforce road safety concerns regarding speeding. However, the most effective way to enforce and discourage motorists from speed is to install speed cameras, as I am familiar with their effectiveness through first-hand experience and observations. Because drivers are more likely to control their speed if they know they could be fined at any time of the day with speed cameras. Thus, this proposal would greatly benefit road and public safety as accidents would be inevitable with the landscape of West Vancouver and the normalized speeding from local drivers.