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Weekly Roundup: Safety Cameras Cut San Francisco Speeding by 72%

Weekly Roundup: Safety Cameras Cut San Francisco Speeding by 72%

San Francisco’s new automated speed enforcement cameras are sharply reducing dangerous driving, but advocates say broader street safety efforts are still needed.

Urbanize Team
October 13, 2025

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📅 Today's Story: San Francisco’s speed safety cameras, launched in March, slashed speeding by 72% at monitored locations, a promising sign for Vision Zero and pedestrian safety.

📝 Editor's Note: This is the weekly roundup edition of our national newsletter, which features local stories from the past week for all major metros that Urbanize covers. Thanks for reading.

TRANSPORTATION

Safety Cameras Cut San Francisco Speeding by 72%

Results by location from San Francisco’s Speed Safety Camera Program (SFMTA)

📰 What Happened: The automated speed enforcement program uses cameras that activate when vehicles exceed speed limits by 11 mph or more. After an initial spike in citations, weekly totals declined steadily since July, along with the average violator speed. According to the SFMTA, two-thirds of vehicles caught once have not reoffended, indicating better driver behavior.

🔍 A Closer Look: While the cameras are clearly effective where installed, their impact is limited to those specific corridors. Advocates are pushing for more holistic approaches to traffic safety, including enhancements to pedestrian and bike infrastructure. The recently approved Street Safety Act requires SFPD to align enforcement strategies with the program and supports broader SFMTA initiatives like the Biking and Rolling Plan.

🧠 Why It Matters: Traffic violence remains a key urban challenge, and automated enforcement is proving to be a useful tool in reducing risky driving. Still, permanent improvements to street design and investment in multimodal transportation will be key to scaling impact citywide and achieving lasting safety gains.