What if every fatal crash triggered an immediate street-level reminder to slow down? Ontario is expanding licence plate reading cameras onto provincial highways. And your car may be sharing far more about you than you realize. Welcome to the Good Roads Podcast, where we break down the biggest municipal infrastructure, transportation, and road safety stories shaping Ontario communities.
This week, Thomas and Andrew unpack three stories that explore road safety messaging, automated enforcement, and vehicle data privacy.
🚧 Someone Died Here – Slow Down
Spokane, Washington has launched the first real-world pilot of “Emergency Streets,” deploying temporary traffic-calming measures after every fatal crash. Instead of flowers and memorials, drivers see pink cones and signs saying a motorist died there. Early data shows no increase in crashes and little effect on travel times. We discuss whether the approach could work in Ontario communities.
📷 Under the Unblinking Gaze of the All-Seeing Highway
Waterloo Regional Police and MTO are installing automated licence plate recognition cameras on provincial highways, beginning with Highway 401. Mississauga is using similar technology for parking enforcement in school zones, while Brampton and Sudbury have added stationary cameras at intersections. We explore what these Flock-style systems can do, and the privacy questions that come with them.
🚗 Your Car Is Watching You Too
Researchers at Northeastern University and Consumer Reports examined 21 vehicles and 30 companion apps. They found that 19 of the 21 vehicles communicated with third-party companies, including advertising and tracking services, and that discrepancies exist between privacy disclosures and actual data sharing. We break down what your car is transmitting, and how little control drivers have over it.
📚 Show References
‘Try not to let moose lick your car,’ warns Parks Canada, as more moose flock to highways (CBC News)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/dont-let-moose-lick-1.7074587
Elephant collects ‘tax’ from passing trucks in Thailand’s Chachoengsao (Asia News Network)
https://asianews.network/elephant-collects-tax-from-passing-trucks-in-thailands-chachoengsao/
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