AB 645 Will Slow Streets and Save Lives. #PassAB645
Los Angeles has seen a very concerning rise in speed and fatalities, with 312 deaths in 2022, surpassing the 300 mark for the first time in two decades. This marked a 6% increase from the previous year and a staggering 29% increase from 2020. Too many people are dying on our streets, and we have to do something to fundamentally change how people think about speeding when getting to their destinations quickly.
SAFE IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF AB 645
Authored by Glendale Assemblymember Laura Friedman, this bill creates a new pilot program in Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, Long Beach, Oakland, and Glendale. It allows those cities to install speed camera systems in school zones, high-injury streets, and areas with a history of street racing.
WHY IS THIS BILL IMPORTANT?
According to the Federal Highway Administration, speed cameras can reduce crashes on urban streets by 54%, which is where AB 645 comes into play. Installing speed safety cameras with priority around schools and on high-injury roads would incentivize drivers to pay attention and slow down. Over 1,000 Californians have died in speed-related traffic crashes every year for the past five years, and thousands more have been severely injured. And the threat is growing, especially as vehicles become more powerful.
WHY IS THIS BILL FAIR AND EQUITABLE?
Funds raised through the issuance of tickets would be designated toward implementing the program and street calming initiatives. First-time drivers in violation will receive a warning. The second time there will be a civil citation of $50 that will slightly increase with every 10 miles traveled over the speed limit. There will not be points added to people’s driving records because the program has cameras that do not use facial recognition but read license plates instead.
WHY SPEEDING AND SAFETY ARE ENTWINED
Speeding accounts for nearly a third of all traffic fatalities. Los Angeles has seen an increase in traffic fatalities of nearly 16% from 2020-2021, with notable fatalities and injuries near local schools.
WHY THIS WORKS
Other cities in the United States have already embraced speed safety cameras, such as New York City. Speed detection systems dramatically shift behavior and can reduce the number of severe crashes by as much as 58%. We desperately need more tools to protect communities better and save lives here in California cities, which is why AB 645 is so important right now.
STATUS ON AB 645
We’re very excited that AB 645 passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee with an overwhelming vote of 10-1 on Tuesday, July 11. SAFE joined advocates, survivors, family members of victims affected by traffic violence, and the bill’s author Assemblymember Laura Friedman to watch the bill’s vote. Our next step after recess (July 14-August 14) is getting the bill passed through Senate Appropriations, then on to the Governor’s desk for a signature. This is the furthest a bill like this has ever reached!
WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN LOS ANGELES AND CALIFORNIA?
Sign and share our Change.org petition demanding legislators reign in reckless speeding by passing AB 645.
Please tweet and share on your social media and help us. Every additional signature will be shared with the chair of the Senate Appropriations, where the bill will be voted on next.
