Los Angeles Activates Speed Cameras with Fines Up to $500
The city begins a five-year pilot program using automated cameras to enforce speed limits on major streets.
Los Angeles is launching an automated speed camera program this week, ticketing drivers caught traveling 11 miles per hour or more over the posted limit. The initial phase will deploy approximately 20 cameras across the city, with plans to expand to 125 enforcement sites by the end of 2026, spanning all 15 of LA's council districts.
The program, authorized by California Assembly Bill 645, aims to improve traffic safety by targeting speeding in areas near schools, senior centers, and locations with documented street racing.
Four intersections are slated for the initial camera deployment: La Brea Avenue and 1st Street, Fairfax Avenue and Clinton Street, Melrose Avenue and Hayworth Avenue, and La Cienega Boulevard and Pico Boulevard. Additional cameras will also be installed along sections of Sunset Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, Venice Boulevard, and Highland Avenue.
The automated system captures rear license plates of vehicles traveling at least 11 mph over the speed limit. Penalties vary based on the speed violation: $50 for exceeding the limit by 11 to 15 mph, $100 for 16 to 25 mph over, $200 for 26 to 35 mph over, and $500 for speeds of 36 mph or more over the limit. Drivers traveling at 100 mph or greater will face a $500 fine.
These camera-issued citations are classified as civil violations, meaning they will not add points to a driver's record or impact auto insurance rates. For the first 60 days of the program, drivers caught speeding will receive warnings by mail before fines are enforced.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation is overseeing the rollout. Revenue generated from the fines is designated for local infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. The precise schedule for installing the remaining cameras has not yet been released, but each council district is expected to receive cameras at approximately eight locations, with a focus on high-crash rate areas.
