PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 11, 2025
CONTACT: Marta Lindsey, Communications Director, Walk San Francisco, (617) 833-7654 (cell), marta@walksf.org
Neighbors, Supervisor Mandelman, and Walk SF celebrate the new speed camera in the Castro
After witnessing a rise dangerous speeding, neighbors are relieved to a new speed camera is now operating in the Castro
WHEN: Friday, September 12, 8:45-9:30 AM
WHERE: Merritt Park, at the intersection of Danvers and Market Street
WHAT: Castro neighbors, community groups, Walk San Francisco, and District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman will gather to celebrate the new speed camera at the intersection of Market and Danvers, hosted by the Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association.
San Francisco launched its lifesaving speed camera program in March, with citations starting on August 5. Neighbors in the Castro have been concerned for years about dangerous speeding in the neighborhood, and especially at Market and Danvers Streets, where there is now a speed camera.
VISUALS:
- Homemade signs celebrating speed cameras and safe speeds
ATTENDING & AVAILABLE TO SPEAK:
- District 8 Supervisor and Board President Rafael Mandelman, whose district now has three speed cameras.
- Representatives from the Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association and other community groups, and Marta Lindsey, communications director of Walk San Francisco.
- Castro neighborhood residents.
BACKGROUND:
Speeding is the #1 cause of severe and fatal traffic crashes in San Francisco and statewide.
The faster a driver is going, the more likely a crash is to occur. A driver has a smaller scope of vision, less time to react, and can’t stop the vehicle as quickly. And the human body can’t withstand the additional force as speeds rise.
For every mile faster a driver goes, the threat rises quickly. Doubling a car’s speed quadruples its kinetic energy, making the stakes increasingly high above 25 MPH.
By 40 MPH, about 75% of pedestrians will suffer a life-threatening injury or die if hit. This likely underestimates risk because the studies this is based on do not take into account how much larger and heavier vehicles are today. The average American passenger vehicle is now 8 inches taller and 1,000 pounds heavier than it was three decades ago. SUVs and trucks are now the dominant type of vehicle, making up almost 75% of the market share.
It’s also easier than ever for drivers to dangerously accelerate, and too often, they do. The automobile industry continues to design vehicles that are dramatically faster than in previous generations. The average American vehicle from model year 2021 could reach 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. This is about twice as fast as cars purchased in the early 1980s. Electric vehicles are even faster than the average American vehicle, with many reaching 60 MPH in only a few seconds.
In 2024, 42 people were killed in traffic crashes in San Francisco, the highest number since 2007. More than 500 were severely injured in traffic crashes. Dangerous speeding is the leading cause of these crashes.
Speed cameras are a proven solution to change driver behavior and save lives.
Speed cameras dramatically shift behavior and can reduce the number of severe and fatal crashes by as much as 58%. In New York City, the speed camera program has resulted in a 94 percent reduction in speeding at speed camera locations and attributed with significant decreases in pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
Even before citations began in August, San Francisco’s speed camera program was already working to change behavior during the 60-day warning period. According to SFMTA data:
- More than 70% of vehicles that were issued a warning have not received a second—suggesting driver behavior is changing.
- Across all camera locations, average daily speeding events dropped over 30% between week one and week seven of camera activation.
- High-volume corridors are seeing the biggest changes, with speeding down between 40% and 63%.
- Fulton Street saw a 63% decrease in speeding events over 13 weeks between Arguello Boulevard and 2nd Avenue.
- Geneva Avenue saw a 45% decrease over eight weeks between Prague Street and Brookdale Avenue.
- Bayshore Boulevard saw a 40% decrease over seven weeks between the U.S. 101 off-ramp and Tunnel Avenue.
Data from the SFMTA also shows how pervasive dangerous speeding is. The speed camera program issued 99,730 warning tickets in May across 30 active camera locations. Data from speed camera citations is available at DataSF and information about San Francisco’s speed camera program is available here.
San Francisco is the first city in California to launch speed cameras on its streets.
Assembly Bill 645, signed into law on October 13, 2023, allows San Francisco (plus Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, and Long Beach) to pilot the use of speed cameras.
With the launch of San Francisco’s speed camera program, California joined 21 states in allowing the use of speed cameras to enforce one of the deadliest driver behaviors. San Francisco is the first city in California to launch its speed camera program. San Jose and Oakland are in the planning phase for speed camera programs.
The speed camera program is designed to change behavior, with fines starting at just $50 and has important equity and privacy provisions.
AB 645 was a thoughtfully written bill with strong privacy protections and equity considerations. AB 645 doesn’t allow any facial recognition with the cameras. Only the rear license plate of a speeding vehicle will be captured as part of the program. The data will be stored for SFMTA use only and will not be shared with any other agency, unless court-ordered to do so.
Speed camera violations have no criminal penalties and don’t add points against a driver’s license at the state Department of Motor Vehicles. San Francisco will reduce fines for those under the poverty line by 80% or offer community service, and reduce fines by 50% for individuals 200% above the poverty level. Learn more about San Francisco’s speed camera program.
SOCIAL MEDIA
#SlowOurStreets #VisionZeroSF @walksf
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Walk San Francisco (‘Walk SF’) advocates for safe streets for everyone who walks, which is everyone. Since our founding in 1998, Walk SF has been leading the way to make San Francisco a pedestrian-first city where people of every age and ability can walk safely. Learn more.