The Facts

Traffic enforcement is back up—finally! After the total collapse of traffic enforcement, citations have rebounded from 26,000 in 2024 to 122,000 in 2025. And 91,000 of those were from the 33 speed cameras over just five months, according to Danielle Echeverria and Rachel Swan at the San Francisco Chronicle. By comparison, SFPD only wrote about 20,000 traffic tickets.

The Context

The state only allowed this approach after AB 645 created a pilot program (through 2032) that treats camera tickets as civil penalties, requires an early warning period, and caps SF at 33 systems.

In January, SFMTA/DPH/SFPD said traffic deaths fell to 25 in 2025, down from 43 in 2024—a 42% decline. It's the first meaningful progress in decades.

The GrowSF Take

It's well known that certainty of punishment is more effective at deterring bad behavior than severity of punishment, and this is yet more evidence. When drivers know they will be caught and fined for speeding, they slow down.

Not only have these 33 speed cameras increased street safety and reduced road deaths while generating a bunch of money along the way. Wow!