San Francisco's network of speed cameras is set to quickly shift from issuing warnings to fining drivers for speeding infractions. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) announced that, effective tomorrow, fines will begin at $50 for going 11-15 mph over the speed limit, ramping up to $500 for those caught driving over 100 mph. As KRON4 reported, these citations have undergone human review to verify their accuracy before reaching drivers' mailboxes.
The SFMTA has installed 33 speed cameras throughout the city, strategically placed to address areas with high crash rates or a history of speed racing. Following a 60-day warning period on June 6, the cameras are now ready to generate revenue, which will be utilized for program costs and traffic-calming initiatives. "The program is about transparency and education. It’s not about catching people speeding [with] a ‘gotcha’ kind of attitude. We just want people to understand that speeding is not safe on our streets," SFMTA's director of streets, Viktoriya Wise, told KRON4.
Over the past few weeks, there has been a 30% reduction in warnings issued by the speed cameras, suggesting an impact on driver behavior, with a notable 70% not reoffending. SFMTA's data has demonstrated a preemptive effect of the warning phase in conditioning drivers to adhere to speed limits. "We are adding additional engineering tools. We are actually making the speed limit signs bigger. We are posting signs on the streets more frequently. And we are adding paved speed limit roadway markings," Wise explained, per ABC7 News.
While some residents and advocacy groups have expressed support for the cameras to enhance street safety, there have also been criticisms concerning the potential for a disproportional impact on low-income and minority communities. Human Rights Watch, in a letter to the California Senate Appropriations Committee cited by KRON4, voiced concerns based on patterns observed in other cities where automated speed enforcement had resulted in heavier ticketing in Black and Latinx areas.
