San Francisco’s new speed cameras cut dangerous driving by 92% in some areas
By CBS Bay Area
If you’ve got a heavy foot, you may want to think twice about how fast you’re driving through San Francisco.
The city’s new speed cameras are proving to be a game-changer, slowing down drivers in neighborhoods like Crocker-Amazon.
Mercedes Hoglund, who lives nearby, says the difference is obvious.
“You notice the speed cameras because you get notices in the mail that you’ve been warned. And then once you notice where the camera is, you definitely notice a change in speed,” she said.
For her, it’s personal. For the city, the data backs it up.
Viktoriya Wise, director of streets for San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency, says cameras are already making roadways safer.
“What we are seeing at this particular intersection is a 92% reduction in how many people are speeding through this area,” Wise said.
In August alone, speed cameras caught more than 16,000 drivers going too fast. If all fines were paid, that would add up to more than $1 million in a single month. But city leaders insist the program is not about money.
“We have seen people slowing down significantly. And folks who have had one citation are not repeat offenders, which was the exact point of the program,” Wise said.
Here’s how it works: the first violation gets a warning. After that, drivers receive a ticket in the mail with a fine attached.
The city currently has 56 cameras set up in 33 different hot spots. One of the busiest is on Bryant Street, near freeway access, where officials say unfamiliar drivers are often caught speeding.
To make sure drivers know what they’re approaching, more warning signs are being installed along high-speed corridors.
Back in Crocker-Amazon, residents like Hoglund say they welcome even more cameras, especially around schools.
“I actually think there should be more of them,” she said.
For neighbors, it means a safer walk to the park, a safer game of pickleball, and a safer street to call home.
City officials say they’ll keep tracking the data closely. If trends continue, cameras could eventually shift to other problem areas across San Francisco.
