Slow Down: Speed Cameras Move From Warnings to Fines
Published August 08, 2025
The Facts
Slow down! SF's automated speed cameras have started issuing real tickets for speeding. And we know there are a lot of speeders out there — the cameras captured over 350,000 violations since March. The fines start at $50 for speeds 11–15 mph over the limit, and can go up to $500.
The data shows strong early behavioral shifts: three-quarters of warned drivers didn’t get ticketed again, and average speeding occurrences dropped notably over time, according to Danielle Echeverria and Rachel Swan at The Chronicle.
The Context
Traffic enforcement dropped to nearly zero during the COVID pandemic and has only barely started to tick back up. Many say the traffic police have been on defacto strike, and others blame SFPD's top brass for not prioritizing traffic enforcement.
The city has been trying to get more speed cameras installed for years, but the process has been slow and mired in bureaucracy. This program required a change in state law and a lengthy negotiation with the ACLU to develop a program they would not sue to stop. Ultimately, the law was limited to a short 5-year pilot program. The ACLU still opposed the bill in the end.
The GrowSF Take
Breaking the law, including speeding, should have swift and certain consequences. Catching 350,000 speeders since March shows how effective these cameras can be, and just how much speeding has been going on in San Francisco. The 30% reduction in speeding during the warning period is a promising sign that these cameras are changing behavior, not just generating revenue.