If you saw a flash while driving around Los Angeles this week, it might not have been your imagination. The city switched on its first 20 speed cameras on Monday, October 26.
The good news: for now, you’ll only get a warning. The bad news: that grace period won’t last.
How the Cameras Work
The cameras snap a photo of your rear license plate if you’re going 11 mph or more over the speed limit. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation is placing them in spots with a history of problems, like school zones and streets with a record of serious crashes.
Twenty cameras are running now, and LADOT plans to have 125 up by the end of the year.
Warnings for 60 Days, Then Fines
For the first 60 days, anyone caught speeding gets a warning notice instead of a ticket. That puts the start of real fines around late December.
Once fines kick in, they start at $50 for going 11 to 15 mph over the limit. They climb from there, topping out at $500 for anyone clocked at 100 mph or more. The city says the money will go back into street safety projects.
What About Privacy?
This is the first question a lot of people ask. According to the city, the cameras don’t use facial recognition. And photos that don’t lead to a ticket are deleted within five days.
Why Now?
The cameras are part of a five-year pilot program allowed under California Assembly Bill 645, which lets a handful of cities test automated speed enforcement. San Francisco has already started its own program, and officials there say it has helped cut down on dangerous speeding.
What This Means for You
Honestly, the easiest way to avoid a ticket is the obvious one: watch your speed, especially near schools and on major streets. And if you get a warning in the mail over the next couple of months, take it as a heads-up. The same thing in January will cost you money.
Sources