Exclusive | San Francisco raked in millions from speed cameras — they’re coming to LA next

Drivers in San Francisco are easing off the gas as the city rakes in millions from speed camera fines.

All told, the cameras have generated $7.4 million in revenue for the city since fines began in August, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency told The Post on Thursday.

The city’s 33 cameras were switched on in March 2025 and have cut the number of drivers speeding over 10mph from 25% to just 6%, according to data first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

And enforcement has been widespread.

Since August, the program has issued 163,906 citations, according to the SFMTA. Another 553,617 warnings have been handed out since March 2025, including the initial 60-day grace period.

The analysis found the crackdown is sticking. About 65% of drivers who received a warning or ticket didn’t reoffend, while 82% were cited no more than once or twice ver the yearlong period.

The early results are likely to catch the attention of Los Angeles, which is preparing a much larger rollout.

City officials plan to install roughly 125 cameras across its districts by the end of July as part of a state pilot program approved in 2023 — one that also includes San Jose, Oakland and Long Beach.

Like San Francisco, LA’s cameras will target drivers exceeding the speed limit by at least 10 mph — a threshold aimed at curbing the most dangerous behavior rather than minor infractions.

Experts cited by the Times say the Bay Area city’s results are in line with programs nationwide. Research in New York City has shown violations often drop within months of cameras being installed and tend to stay lower over time.

Officials told the Times the city has paired enforcement with other measures — including speed humps, clearer road markings and targeted safety efforts — to reinforce the changes. That kind of multi-pronged approach could be key in sprawling, car-heavy Los Angeles.

The stakes are high.

Speed remains a leading cause of severe crashes and fatalities, and California officials have pointed to automated enforcement as a way to reverse rising traffic deaths.

For now, San Francisco’s early data offers a clear signal: drivers do change their behavior when cameras go up.

And in Los Angeles, that shift could be coming soon — whether motorists like it or not.

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters