The Toronto Police Service (TPS) announced Monday that it will intensify traffic enforcement efforts beginning this week.The campaign will run for three months, focusing on the city’s busiest downtown corridors in an area bounded by Bloor Street, Front, Bathurst and Jarvis streets during the afternoon rush periods between 3 and 7 p.m.TPS says the initiative is designed to reduce gridlock and improve safety by cracking down on drivers who ignore traffic laws. Officers say they will be watching for violations such as no stopping, no parking, “blocking the box,” prohibited turns, speeding, distracted driving, and running red lights.What is “blocking the box?”One of the most common infractions in Toronto’s downtown core is “blocking the box,” which is when a vehicle enters an intersection without enough space to clear it and forcing traffic to back up and preventing cross-street movement.Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, blocking the box can result in a $450 fine and two demerit points.Related:Toronto to spend $3M to add 75 more traffic agents to city streetsIn practice, police say the offence is a major contributor to rush-hour gridlock, particularly at intersections along Yonge Street, University Avenue, and King Street.Other common violations and fines in TorontoToronto drivers face a range of penalties for traffic offences, including the following:No stopping in rush-hour zones: $150 fine, with vehicles subject to towing.Illegal parking in bike lanes: $150 fine.Distracted driving (using a handheld device): minimum $615 fine, three demerit points, and a three-day licence suspension for first-time offenders.Speeding: fines vary by excess speed, starting at $3.75 per km/h over the limit in lower ranges, with penalties escalating sharply in community safety zones.Red light camera violations: $325 fine, though no demerit points are applied.Police say the campaign is an intensification of existing rush-hour operations, aimed at reminding drivers that ignoring traffic laws has real consequences for congestion and safety.TPS noted the results of the campaign will be reviewed at the end of the three-month period to determine whether enforcement should be extended or expanded.