Philadelphia’s Speed Cameras Are Working

After Pennsylvania legalized speed cameras in 2018, “there was a substantial and statistically significant reduction in fatalities and crashes,” reveals a new study from the University of Pennsylvania.

As Maylin Tu explains in Next City, “Starting in June 2020, the city of Philadelphia placed cameras at eight locations and issued warnings to vehicles going 11 miles or more over the speed limit. After a 60-day grace period, speeding vehicles were fined.” The Philadelphia Parking Authority found a 90 percent reduction in speeding violations along the sections of Roosevelt Boulevard where the cameras were installed.

Speed cameras, sometimes known as automated traffic enforcement, are a controversial tool that some safety advocates say saves lives but which critics say disproportionately targets minority and low-income drivers and can be a ‘cash grab’ for cities rather than a true safety effort. “According to traffic safety advocates, it’s important for money to be reinvested directly into the community where the speed cameras are located. In the case of the pilot, the money is going to fund traffic safety projects, including $12 million to improve Roosevelt Boulevard by adding curb extensions and permeable pavement, among other upgrades.”