Automated speed safety cameras have reduced dangerous speeding by 84% at camera locations in San Francisco during the program's first 18 months.
The mayor’s office estimated the reduction amounts to 42,000 fewer instances daily of drivers traveling at least 10 mph over the speed limit.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency operates 56 cameras at 33 locations, targeting some of the city's most dangerous streets, including areas near schools.
The city — which is the first in California to adopt an automated speed camera program — reported that dangerous speeding near schools has declined by as much as 94% compared with preinstallation levels.
A preliminary report by the University of California, Berkeley's Safe Transportation Research and Education Center found that speeding declined significantly at camera locations before fines were introduced and remained substantially lower 50 weeks after activation.
Researchers also found decreases on comparable streets without cameras, suggesting the program may be influencing driving behavior citywide.
