California Speed Camera Map

Oakland Launches Automated Speed Safety Camera Program to Curb Dangerous Driving

The City of Oakland has officially activated its automated speed safety camera program, deploying cameras at 18 locations throughout the city to target speeding and improve roadway safety. The installations are part of a five-year pilot authorized under California Assembly Bill 645, joining San Francisco and other pilot cities in the state in using automated enforcement to address chronic speeding and related crashes.

Under the new program, the technology detects vehicles traveling 11 mph or more over the posted speed limit and captures an image of the vehicle’s rear license plate — no images of drivers are taken and facial recognition is prohibited by law.

To give drivers time to adjust, Oakland is currently in a 60-day warning period during which speeding violations will result only in mailed warnings rather than fines. After this grace period ends — expected in mid-March 2026 — the city will begin issuing citations.

Fines are structured to scale with the degree of the violation, starting at $50 for drivers 11-15 mph over the limit and increasing up to $500 for extreme speeds (e.g., over 100 mph). A key equity feature of the program is an income-based fine reduction scale, which can lower penalties for low-income residents or people on public assistance.

City officials emphasize that the program is meant to change driver behavior and save lives, not primarily to generate revenue. All camera revenue must be reinvested in traffic safety improvements. Oakland’s transportation leaders point to local crash data showing that a small portion of streets — its “High Injury Network” — accounts for a disproportionate share of severe and fatal collisions, guiding where the cameras were placed.

By launching this automated enforcement initiative, Oakland aims to reduce speeding, cut traffic injuries and fatalities, and make city streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike — while ensuring privacy safeguards and a fair warning period for motorists.