Starting as early as next year, drivers in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Glendale may receive speeding tickets in the mail through a pilot speed-camera program signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Gov. Newsom approved AB 645, which establishes a pilot program allowing six California cities to install speed cameras in “high-accident” corridors, school zones, or areas frequently visited by street racers.
Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, D-Burbank, the bill’s author, stated last month, “Slowing cars is essential for saving lives.” She emphasized that deaths caused by speeding have been mislabeled as “accidents” for too long, and stressed, “These deaths can be prevented.”
Under this legislation, the pilot program grants the six cities permission to install a limited number of cameras specifically designed to capture images of speeding violations and issue tickets via mail to offenders. In addition to Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Glendale, the pilot program will also be implemented in Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose.
Friedman’s office cites statistics from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, indicating that motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for individuals under 30. The office also claims that in 2021, 4,379 Californians lost their lives in traffic collisions, with 1,275 of them being pedestrians or bicyclists.
Friedman’s office further highlights that New York City witnessed a 73% decrease in speeding incidents after implementing speed cameras.
Damian Kevitt, the founder of Los Angeles-based road-safety advocacy group Streets Are For Everyone, strongly supported the legislation and praised its approval.
Kevitt stated on Friday night, “Reckless speeding has become a public health crisis on our roads. While local officials are slowly and expensively working on redesigning safer streets for the future, we need immediate measures to protect our communities from traffic-related violence. AB 645 is a part of that solution.”
According to Kevitt, tickets issued by the speed cameras would have fines starting at $50. However, the first ticket would only serve as a warning. Subsequent tickets would be similar to parking tickets, sent to drivers via mail without impacting their driving record or insurance.
The legislation also includes a legal appeals process and options for low-income offenders to request fines to be waived or reduced by up to 80%.
According to Kevitt’s group, speed has been the leading cause of traffic accidents in the city every year since 2011, with last year setting a record of 312 fatalities. As of late September this year, there have already been 225 traffic fatalities in the city, indicating another record-breaking year, according to Streets Are For Everyone.
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