Oakland Speed Safety Detection Systems
Driving in the City of Oakland will soon be safer once a speed safety system is in place. Oakland is one of six California cities chosen to participate in the Speed Safety Systems Pilot Program, made possible by Assembly Bill (AB) 2336.
About Assembly Bill 2336
Assembly Bill 2336 would allow Oakland, San Jose, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Glendale, and Los Angeles to test out the safety pilot program for the next five years to help enforce speed limits in school zones and on a limited number of dangerous streets.
The bill would require the participating cities to:
- Adopt a Speed Safety System impact report and policy before starting the program.
- Provide information to the public at least 30 days before implementing the program, including when the systems will go up and where they will be placed.
- Develop guidelines for processing and storing personal information such as photos, videos, and other records. This information will be confidential and only allow access to public agencies for specified purposes.
AB 2336 Was Designed with Equity in Mind
AB 2336 includes essential equity and privacy considerations. Under the bill:
- The cameras will remove interactions between the driver and police at traffic stops that may potentially escalate.
- Warning notices will be issued instead of citations for violations within the first 60 days of the program.
- Violators will be allowed to do community service instead of paying fines.
- Speed cameras are only allowed to capture the vehicle’s rear license plate and not the driver’s face or windshield.
- Footage may be kept for 60 days if a violation is issued and only for five days if no offense is given.
- Footage must be collected by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and may not be used or shared for other purposes.
- Drivers must be warned about speed cameras with signage to encourage them to slow down.
- Revenue from fines would be spent on improving streets to prevent speeding.
Why a Speed Safety System is Needed in Oakland
Oakland has seen an alarming rise in traffic deaths over the past several years due to speeding. According to recent traffic safety data from the City of Oakland:
- Speeding is the cause of 25 percent of deadly accidents.
- Oakland residents are severely injured or killed by vehicles left-turning at over four times the rate of cars turning right.
- 75 percent of severe or fatal injuries occur at intersections.
- 33 percent of pedestrian injuries and deaths result from motorists failing to yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk.
Deploying speed safety cameras will save lives and keep the city’s streets safe.
Speed Safety Systems Pilot Program
Unlike the red light camera program, which issues hefty fines of about $500, the Speed Safety Systems Pilot Program has significantly lower fines starting at $50.
Under the pilot program, if the speed cameras don’t reduce violations by 25 percent within the first 18 months, a speed feedback sign telling drivers how fast they are driving must be installed. The city must implement traffic-calming measures to slow down vehicles. The city can no longer use the speed camera in that area if an implementation doesn’t begin within two years.
The YouTube video from KRON 4 below discusses the Speed Safety Systems Pilot Program in the Bay Area.
Speed Cameras Reduced Fatal Crashes
Statistics have shown that speed accounts for almost a third of all traffic deaths. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), speed cameras can reduce crashes on urban streets by 54 percent. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) review found that other cities implementing similar speed safety programs have decreased fatal traffic collisions by up to 70 percent.
Oakland Personal Injury Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, an Oakland Personal Injury Lawyer. If you have been injured in a traffic accident due to someone else’s negligence, our legal team can help you seek fair compensation for your injuries and losses. Call our law office at (510) 631-0200 (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly case advice.
You can depend on our injury attorneys at AutoAccident.com to help you seek the justice and compensation you deserve.
We stand by our proven track record of successful verdicts and settlements we have obtained for our clients since 1982.
Photo by Carl Nenzen Loven on Unsplash
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