San José Launches New Red-Light Cameras in Effort to Reduce Traffic Deaths

San José is rolling out four red-light cameras at some of its most dangerous intersections, part of a yearlong traffic safety pilot program.

The cameras, which have all been installed, will become operational on a warning-only basis on Oct. 13, with citations beginning in December. They are a years-in-the-making effort to reduce red-light running, which is the second-highest contributing factor to traffic deaths and severe injuries in San José, according to the city’s Transportation Department.

At a news conference on Wednesday, city leaders and community members underscored the urgency of the red-light camera project, which was approved in 2022, citing the number of people who have been killed or seriously hurt in crashes on city streets.

“In Chicago, they led to a 52% reduction in [overall crashes at intersections with cameras. If we had implemented this technology here back in 2020, we might have prevented 30 of those deaths or serious injuries based on that track record,” Mayor Matt Mahan said. “Clearly, these are preventable injuries and deaths, and these cameras will help us move toward ending them.” Transportation officials chose the four camera locations based on crash data collected from 2019 to 2023. The corridor where one of the cameras is located, Monterey Road and Branham Lane, has seen 58 deaths or serious injuries since 2020, officials noted. The other pilot locations are:

• Leigh Avenue and Parkmoor Avenue
• Keyes Street and South Third Street
• South Bascom Avenue and Camden Avenue

The project aligns with San José’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries, according to Vice Mayor Pam Foley, who has chaired the city’s task force on the initiative. Foley called the cameras a “powerful tool to hold drivers accountable, reduce dangerous collisions, and ultimately save lives.” She emphasized the city’s commitment to reducing fatal crashes and severe injuries by 30% by 2030 and eliminating them by 2040. Most major cities, however, have struggled to make progress on their Vision Zero goals. San Francisco, for example, saw its deadliest year on city streets in over a decade last year. In an effort to help reduce dangerous crashes, a 2023 state bill authorized San Francisco, San José and four other cities to pilot automated speed enforcement cameras. San Francisco is so far the only city to have rolled out the speed cameras. San José’s red-light camera initiative is separate.

Under the program, citations will be issued to the vehicle’s owner, though the San José Police Department will review the video footage and images to confirm the driver’s identity before a ticket is sent. If the driver cannot be identified, a courtesy notice will be issued.

The fines for camera-issued citations are the same as those for tickets issued by a police officer, adding up to $486, after fines and fees.

The one-year pilot — expected to cost $733,000, funded by the city’s general budget — is designed to assess the cameras’ effectiveness in deterring dangerous driving and reducing crashes. At the end of the year, the city will release a report with its findings, and the City Council will decide whether to continue, expand or terminate the program.

San José is not the first city to use this technology; California has permitted the use of red light cameras since 1996, following authorization by the state Legislature.

Fremont has had red-light cameras for about 25 years. Resident Tuan Tu, who spoke at the press conference, said he was initially skeptical of the technology but changed his mind after seeing its success in Fremont.

“I’m less worried about getting T-boned … less worried about getting hit when I bike to work,” Tu said. “I’m less worried about crossing the street and getting killed by somebody that’s trying to make the light last second.”

A previous version of this story misstated the base fine amount of the ticket.