Calgary Sees Surge in Red Light Violations Amid Growing Concerns

Residents of Calgary have raised alarms over a noticeable increase in red light violations, a concern validated by recent statistics from the Calgary Police Service. After a period of relative stability from 2018 to 2021, the number of red light tickets issued in Calgary jumped by over 40 percent in 2022. Prior to the pandemic, the police issued just over 1,500 tickets each month. In stark contrast, that figure soared to more than 2,200 monthly tickets in 2022. Although early data for the first five months of 2025 indicates a decrease to 1,928 monthly summonses, it remains unclear whether this marks the beginning of a significant downward trend.

A disturbing incident involving a local driver highlights the dangers associated with this increase in violations. On July 2, 2024, Michael McCutcheon was turning left on an advance green light when a large truck ran the red light. “If I hadn’t turned right to try and avoid it, my girlfriend in the passenger seat would be severely injured for sure,” McCutcheon recounted. Despite his quick maneuver, his girlfriend still suffered a head injury from slamming into the windshield and continues to experience back problems. McCutcheon later turned to the Calgary community on Reddit, seeking advice about the collision, noting the absence of a red-light camera at the intersection.

Factors Behind Increased Red Light Infractions

The rise in red light infractions can be attributed to multiple factors, including Calgary’s growing population and vehicle registrations. As of May, the City of Calgary operates 52 red light cameras across various intersections. Between 2000 and 2023, data indicates that collisions have decreased by 33 percent, fatal collisions by 75 percent, and injury rates by 56 percent, despite the uptick in violations.

According to the Calgary Police Service, “Calgary’s growing population and vehicle registrations since the Red Light Camera program began in 2001 have naturally contributed to higher traffic volumes and, in turn, more potential infractions.” The police also noted that the expansion of the Red Light Camera program, which added six new intersections in 2019, likely contributed to the increase in violations, although traffic volume decreased during the pandemic.

Despite the rise in tickets, police have cautioned that this may not necessarily reflect enhanced enforcement or improved detection. “Collisions continue to occur at intersections across the city, prompting police response,” they stated.

Challenges in Education and Enforcement

Experts emphasize that effective traffic safety relies on a combination of education, enforcement, and engineering. Jacob Lamb, an associate professor in civil engineering at the University of Calgary, explained the Swiss cheese model of accident prevention. “The idea is that between multiple layers of protection, most instances won’t go through all layers,” Lamb said. “We’re trying to prevent the case where all of the Swiss cheese holes line up, and you get an accident.”

Lamb highlighted the importance of education in promoting safe driving behaviors. Kelly Sundberg, a criminology professor at Mount Royal University, criticized Canada’s approach to driver education compared to Scandinavian countries, which require extensive testing and training. “Scandinavian countries experience about half as many road deaths per capita compared to Canada,” Sundberg noted. The differences in training costs further underscore this disparity, with expenses in Norway reaching several thousands of Canadian dollars, while Canadians typically pay only a few hundred.

Moreover, Sundberg pointed out that Calgary lacks sufficient enforcement of traffic regulations, which contributes to the rising number of violations. With only 52 red light cameras monitoring approximately 540 signalized intersections, fewer than 10 percent are under surveillance. “People are worried about getting caught, not about the consequences,” Sundberg stated, referencing deterrence theory.

The Calgary Police Service acknowledged that automated traffic tickets capture only a snapshot of driving behavior. This limited scope means that the true scale of the issue may be underestimated. “This enforcement data only captures a portion of overall driving behaviour,” the police said in their statement.

Sundberg emphasized the importance of understanding the ‘dark figure of crime,’ noting that many offenses go unreported. “If we don’t understand the full scope of the issue, we can’t effectively address it,” he said, illustrating the complexities of traffic safety and regulation.

Calgary’s increasing number of red light violations poses significant public safety concerns. As the city grapples with these challenges, the need for improved education, enforcement, and infrastructure remains crucial in ensuring safer roads for all.