RECENTLY INSTALLED SPEED CAMERAS in San Francisco will begin issuing tickets Tuesday, following a warning period which actually saw drivers slow down, according to Mayor Daniel Lurie.
Since March, speed cameras began being activated across the city. By early June, all cameras at each of the 33 locations were operating, issuing warnings to drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has contracted with Verra Mobility, a vendor of speed safety cameras that works with cities and communities by integrating technology to improve road safety.
Verra Mobility has found that San Francisco has the highest volume of speeding compared to any other metropolitan city it is contracted with, according to the company.
“The number of warnings that have been issued for this program are among the highest we’ve seen across our national portfolio of speed enforcement programs,” said Verra Mobility Senior Vice President Will Barnow in a statement released by the company. “This reinforces why SFMTA’s decision to implement this program is critical for public safety.”
On Tuesday, the cameras will officially begin fining speeding drivers. Fee amounts will vary depending on speed and income levels.
For cars caught traveling 11 to 15 mph over the limit, drivers will have to pay $50. Low-income drivers will be fined $25, and drivers who use public assistance will be fined $10.
The fines double in correlation to greater speed violations. For example, drivers speeding 16 to 25 mph over the limit will be subject to a $100 fine, and $200 for traveling 26 mph or more.
Even though citations have not yet been issued, Lurie says that the speed cameras and warnings have deterred speeding.
“We are already seeing positive results from the warning period: Cameras are issuing fewer notices, and drivers are going at safer speeds,” he said in a release sent out by his office.
Over 70% of the vehicles that were issued warnings have not received a second, which may indicate that driver behavior is shifting, according to Lurie.
Data shows that drivers have slowed down in high-volume areas.
In 13 weeks, warnings saw a 63% decrease on Fulton Street between Arguello Boulevard and Second Avenue. At Geneva Avenue between Prague Street and Brookdale Avenue, speeding events went down by 45% over eight weeks, according to a release from Lurie’s office. With back-to-school season approaching, Lurie is hopeful that full implementation of San Francisco’s speed cameras will help make the streets safer for children walking to and from school.
“As our kids go back to school and more people continue to go into the office, we’re using this new technology to make our streets safer for our kids, our seniors, and our entire community,” Lurie said.