“Because the speed limit is only 40 kilometers per hour, we’re constantly trying to get people to slow down,” said Director Bob Ferguson. Now, a portable radar unit that displays a vehicle’s speed will be used to alert drivers to how fast they are traveling.

Called a speed trailer, the solar powered unit records the speed of approaching vehicles and displays that speed in large numerals right below a sign indicating the actual speed limit. If the vehicle is traveling faster than the posted speed, red lights flash to attract the driver’s attention.

“People are going to see it (the speed trailer) everywhere on campus,” said Ferguson. “We want to educate people so we don’t have to ticket them.”

The $17,000 unit was purchased with $6500 from the Saskatchewan Government Insurance community grant program, $4000 from Facilities Management Division and the balance from Campus Safety.

Ferguson said the unit also records the number of vehicles that pass by, the time they pass by and their speed. This information can be downloaded and analyzed to locate problem spots on Campus Drive.

The data collected from a half-day test of the speed trailer prior to purchase showed about 200 vehicles went past its location, “and only one guy sped up. Everyone else slowed down.”