Thousands of dollars in tickets were doled out to Winnipeggers in the first week of May as the city cracks down on cars found in no-parking zones.

"People are in a lot of cases choosing convenience over safety," said Ryan Arabsky, manager of regulations with the Winnipeg Parking Authority.

Arabsky said from May 1 to 9, 280 parking tickets were issued as part of the parking authority's new "Be Aware. Park with Care" campaign. That total is about 200 tickets higher than normal for the same time span, he added.

The campaign aims to highlight the stiff penalties for stopping in no-parking zones. Tickets range from $70 to $300 but fees are reduced by 50 per cent if paid early.

No-parking-zone tickets School zones: $70

Fire lanes: $300

Spaces reserved for people with disabilities: $300

Parking authority staff have been patrolling places like shopping malls and schools, taking photos of licence plates and mailing tickets to parking scofflaws.

Arabsky said the first week of patrols only reinforced the need for a full-court press on those breaking the rules.

"We're seeing a lot of the same," he said. "Safety is more important than convenience. We want to keep kids safe, we want to keep fire lanes accessible for emergency vehicles. Seconds count."

In the past, it has been difficult to enforce some of the no-parking regulation. Being able to simply photograph unsuspecting drivers' licence plates and send tickets in the mail has changed things for the better, Arabsky said.

"What would happen is our officer … would show up, they would get out of their vehicle and a lot of times, people would … circle the block as they're waiting and that creates even more safety and traffic issues," he said.

Arabsky said for the most part, the parking authority has received positive feedback from the public. He chalks this up to the frustration people feel when they see someone breaking no-parking laws.

"This is a recognized problem throughout the city," he said. "We hope that people start to realize this is about safety."