Safer roads start with drivers following the speed limits. | PHOTO: STARMARO/ADOBE STOCK. ILLUSTRATIONS: FLATVECTORS/ADOBE STOCK

Speed Deterrents Equal Safer Roads

Obeying speed limits improves road safety, and governments are taking steps to make roads safer for everyone.

By Lisa Gordon

When the Ontario government decided in late 2025 to ban speed cameras and replace them with what it describes as “proven road safety measures that do not raise costs for drivers,” it backed the change with a $210M Road Safety Initiatives Fund (RSIF).

The funding helps eligible Ontario municipalities replace speed cameras with traffic-calming measures that encourage safe driving. These options include speed bumps or speed humps, raised crosswalks, roundabouts, targeted enforcement and high-visibility signage. According to the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), travelling even 10 km/h over the speed limit increases the likelihood of a collision by 60 percent, so there’s good reason to stop speeding.

Slow Down, Move Over

It’s the law — and an important way to protect roadside workers and first responders. Remember to slow down, and when safe to do so, move into the next lane to give them more space from passing traffic.

Physical traffic-calming measures

What is the difference between speed bumps and humps?

Speed humps and speed bumps are commonly used to slow traffic in residential areas. What’s the difference? The City of Toronto explains that speed humps are raised mounds of asphalt installed across the full width of a road and are designed to encourage a consistent speed of 30 km/h. Speed cushions are similar but provide wheel cut-outs for larger vehicles like buses and fire trucks. Meanwhile, speed bumps are shorter and sharper raised areas that are found in lower-speed environments, such as parking lots and laneways.

Illustration: A car signals as it enters a roundabout.

Roundabouts

Another important initiative is the roundabout — a circular intersection where traffic flows counter-clockwise around a central island.

Are roundabouts better for traffic flow?

Starting to have more of a presence across Ontario, roundabouts slow traffic while improving flow at the same time. According to the City of Brampton, driving in a roundabout offers several key safety benefits, including fewer conflicts between vehicles and less severe collisions. As well, roundabouts are more environmentally friendly because they reduce stops-and-starts, and the cost of operation is less compared to traditional signalled intersections.

What is the correct way to use a roundabout?

Ontario has published rules for driving in a roundabout, which instruct drivers to enter via the lane that is signed for their exit, making sure to slow down and look for pedestrians where they cross, ahead of the yield line. Drivers should look left, yield to traffic already in the roundabout and enter when safe. Drivers are reminded to keep moving while driving in a roundabout — stop only to avoid a collision. Drivers need to stay aware and share the road with cyclists who may be present in the roundabout.

Illustration: a radar speed sign reads "YOUR SPEED 36."

Other speed deterrents

Additional safety-related measures to slow traffic include speed-display devices and other high-visibility signage, increased police enforcement in targeted zones, curb extensions and raised crosswalks.

Adhering to speed limits creates safer roads. Posted speed limits are determined by traffic engineers who consider important factors, including road design, pedestrian usage, hazard reduction and collision rates.

The most effective traffic-calming method, however, is within the control of every driver. Simply easing off the accelerator and obeying the speed limit goes a long way toward a safer journey for everyone on the road. CAA