The launch of the Automated Speed Enforcement program represents a significant step forward in San Francisco's decade-long Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities. Speeding is the leading cause of serious injuries and deaths on city streets, and these cameras will provide a crucial tool for addressing one of the most persistent challenges in urban traffic safety.
The Need for Speed Enforcement Technology
Despite significant investments in street design and engineering improvements, San Francisco's traffic fatalities have not decreased as hoped under Vision Zero. Viktoriya Wise, director of streets at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, acknowledges this reality:
“We know engineering solutions reduce collisions and injuries, and to shift driver behavior toward safer speeds, we need more tools in our toolkit," she explained recently. “Automated speed enforcement is one of the most effective options we’ve seen, both across the U.S. and internationally.”
The timing couldn't be more urgent. As Wise notes, "Last year was a particularly difficult year. We had 41 fatalities on our roadway, which is the highest we've seen in a really long time, including an entire family killed by roadway violence."
This surge in traffic deaths isn't unique to San Francisco. Across the United States, traffic fatalities have increased post-pandemic as more drivers speed and engage in risky behaviors. The World Health Organization's 2023 Global Status Report on Road Safety found that while Europe achieved a remarkable 36 percent drop in traffic deaths since 2010, the Americas saw only a 0.1 percent decrease in the same period — effectively showing no improvement.
A Strategic Data-Driven Deployment
What sets San Francisco's approach apart is its methodical use of data to maximize the impact of these cameras. The city has identified 33 locations for camera installation with some locations having multidirectional enforcement.
These locations weren't chosen arbitrarily. "The city and county of San Francisco is very technology and data driven," says Wise. "There's tons of data that we constantly collect to figure out where to put roadway improvements."
The selection process involved multiple layers of analysis:
- High-injury network identification — the 12 percent of streets where 68 percent of traffic fatalities and severe injuries occur
- Land-use analysis to identify areas where vulnerable populations are likely to be walking, including schools, senior centers and parks
- Speed survey data showing where drivers frequently exceed speed limits
- Areas near freeway transitions where drivers often fail to adjust their speeds
- Locations where existing engineering improvements need additional support to reduce speeding
State law specifies that any speeding 11 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit triggers a violation. Only a vehicle’s rear license plate is photographed, avoiding any privacy issues for drivers. Each potential violation is reviewed by a human to confirm validity of the violation, and notifications of violations are mailed to the registered owner of the speeding vehicle within two weeks of the violation.
Learning From Success
San Francisco didn't develop this program in isolation. The city studied successful implementations in other major urban areas, particularly New York City, which has deployed speed cameras for nearly a decade.
"New York has seen about a 35 percent reduction in serious injuries and a 73 percent reduction in speeding on their streets with automated speed enforcement in a period of about 18 weeks," notes Wise. San Francisco plans to follow a similar data reporting structure, publishing results 18 weeks after implementation.
San Francisco is also drawing inspiration from Washington, D.C.'s transparency model. "D.C. has a really wonderful dashboard where they're reporting out on the data and we will be doing something similar," says Wise. This commitment to transparency aims to build public trust and demonstrate the program's effectiveness.
San Francisco is following in both cities’ footsteps, awarding Verra Mobility the contract to supply and support the city’s speed safety camera program. This was vetted through a competitive request for proposals process aligned with vastly different legislative requirements compared to other states’ speed programs.
Changing Behavior, Not Collecting Revenue
Perhaps the most common misconception about automated enforcement programs is that they're designed primarily to generate revenue. Wise emphatically rejects this notion: "I'm not interested in giving people tickets. I just need them to change their behavior and to understand why speeding is so dangerous."
To reinforce this focus on behavior change rather than punishment, the program includes several key features:
● Highly visible signage for speed safety camera intersections, along with a citywide public education program
● A 60-day warning period where violators receive notices but no fines
● Initial violations will be forgiven, even after the warning period ends
● Civil penalties are used instead of moving violations to avoid impacting someone’s driving record
● A graduated fee structure based on speed and ability to pay:
○ 11-15 mph over: $50 standard/$25 low-income/$10 public assistance
○ 16-25 mph over: $100 standard/$50 low-income/$20 public assistance
Additionally, any revenue generated must be reinvested in traffic-calming measures — not general funds. This dedication of resources ensures the program remains focused on its safety mission.
The program also serves as a force multiplier for police resources. "Traffic enforcement has fallen quite a bit over the last five years as the city has focused on recovery from the pandemic and those police officers very much are deployed elsewhere," Wise explains. "This is absolutely a force multiplier for us."
Comprehensive Public Education
Recognizing that success depends on public awareness, San Francisco launched an extensive education campaign before the cameras went live. This includes neighborhood-specific billboards, advertisements in transit shelters and clearly marked signs at camera locations.
The education campaign aimed to alert drivers to the new enforcement mechanism while reminding them of the human cost of speeding. Given the large number of tourists and visitors to San Francisco, it is also important for them to warn drivers as they enter the city that speed reduction is an important priority for San Francisco.
A Model for California and Beyond
As a pilot program authorized under California's AB 645, San Francisco's speed camera implementation will be closely watched by five other California cities authorized to deploy similar technology: Glendale, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland and San Jose. Since the passing of the bill, Malibu has also been added as a pilot program city.
The program's reception has been overwhelmingly positive. "This is a very popular project, an eagerly awaited project, both from just members of the public, and from our elected officials as well," says Wise. "And this is an example where there is actually zero controversy."
If successful, this program could pave the way for broader implementation across California, potentially joining the 25 other states that currently permit automated speed enforcement.
The Road to Zero
The ultimate measure of success for San Francisco's automated speed enforcement program will be simple: fewer lives lost on city streets. By combining data-driven deployment, equitable implementation and a focus on changing driver behavior, the city is creating a model program that could help reverse the troubling trend of increased traffic fatalities.
As Wise puts it: "If we can demonstrate transparency, success in the metrics, and also transparency in sharing the data that we're learning from collecting automated speed enforcement information, people will see that this is something that is a good solution and a good toolbox for California to have on a permanent basis."
The cameras began operating in March 2025 with an extensive warning period. This summer, violators will receive citations, marking a significant milestone in San Francisco’s journey toward safer streets for everyone.
