Traffic cameras could return as California city battles ‘epidemic’ of dangerous drivers

Drivers running red lights have become such a serious issue in California’s capital that the city says it may bring back red-light cameras after shutting them down two years ago.

Sacramento officials have a proposal to install up to 20 new cameras at intersections with a history of crashes and red-light violations. Potential locations include stretches of I Street, Capitol Avenue, 16th Street, Florin Road and Power Inn Road.

The debate comes as nearly a third of Sacramento’s serious crashes are linked to drivers running red lights.

“I think that red-light running has become an epidemic in Sacramento,” said transportation advocate Dan Allison.

Chris Dougherty, Sacramento’s funding and asset planning manager, claimed that camera programs have proven to work with a 21% decrease in red-light-running collisions.

The city has launched a survey to gather public input on where residents think the cameras should be installed. The cameras would be brought back under a new state law that classifies red light violations as traffic tickets instead of criminal moving violations.

Cameras would only capture rear license plates and not faces, city officials said. It would not be connected to police databases.

Fines would start at $100 for the first violation and increase up to $500, and low-income residents would qualify for reductions and low payment plans.

“Red light enforcement we can do immediately, and we’re looking for any strategy that we can find that can get people to slow down and drive a little safer,” City Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum told KCRA.

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Sacramento did have traffic cameras back in 2024, but the program was scrapped due to operating costs. It had cost the city $898,000 per year, which was higher than the money generated from violation tickets.

Still, some residents were unsure about bringing the cameras back.

“Technology malfunctions. It’s not always effective. I’ve seen in the past where it randomly goes off and gives people tickets when they don’t deserve it,” resident Peyton Sievers said told CBS.