SAN JOSE (KRON) – There are many reasons why accidents happen, but lawmakers think speeding is one of the biggest causes.
Which is why if Assembly Bill 2336 – introduced by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) and Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) – cities like San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles would install speeding cameras at high-volume places to get drivers to slow down.
In San Jose the number of traffic fatalities so far this year is at at least 16 people killed – which is a record setting pace.
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo supports the bill.
He said “over the past year in San Jose we have seen an alarming rise in traffic fatalities – with speed often being the cause. The staggering loss of life we see on our streets is a preventable tragedy. I support Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s common sense bill to allow cities like ours to deploy speed safety cameras to save lives and to keep our streets safe.”
“Speed kills, we know that we want to ensure that people are watching their speed and watching the road,” Assemblymember Phil Ting said.
The bill creates a five-year pilot program in six cities – San Francisco Assemblymember Phil Ting is a joint author of the bill.
“Quite often we’ve been seeing too many pedestrians die on our streets because cars are going too fast or cars aren’t paying attention,” Ting said.
The speed cameras will enforce speeds on the city’s highest injury streets, in school zones, and on streets with a history of speed contests.
The national safety council estimates 42,000 Americans lost their lives in traffic collisions in 2020.
Ting believes these cameras could influence the way people drive.
“They are much more cognizant of their speed, they’re careful about how they are driving,” Ting said.
Speeding tickets under this bill will start at $50 for going 11 miles per hour over the speed limit.
Those living under the poverty line can receive an 80% reduction or community service.
“The money generated from these citations needs to go back into traffic calming measures in these particular areas,” Ting said.
The bill also says that if the cameras are not reducing speeding violations by 25% within the first 18 months, the city will need to install speed feedback signs and alter the street to make it safer.
“If the cameras aren’t enough deterrent then there have to be real deterrents like speed bumps or different traffic calming measures,” Ting said.
Assemblymember ting says more than 70% of the city’s fatalities occur on just 12% of the streets. That’s the type of areas these cameras would target.