Traffic Safety
San Jose Speed Cameras Start Warnings Dec. 14 and Fines Feb. 14
Backed by an $8.5 million federal Safe Streets grant, the five-year pilot will fine motorists driving at least 11 mph over posted limits between $50 and $500.
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Motorists in San Jose who drive at least 11 miles per hour over posted speed limits will begin receiving mailed warning notices on Dec. 14, 2026, followed two months later on Feb. 14, 2027, by citations ranging from $50 to $500 as the city completes installation of 33 automated speed safety cameras, according to San Jose Inside.
From 2021 through 2025, the city identified speeding as the primary cause of 5,313 vehicle crashes that left 265 people severely injured and 41 dead.
“Speeding is the leading cause of fatal crashes,” Mayor Matt Mahan said in announcing the rollout on Oct. 23. “These tools make sure drivers who break the law pay a price — before someone else pays for it with their life.”
City Manager Jennifer Maguire and Vice Mayor Pam Foley, former chair of the Vision Zero Task Force, also welcomed the launch of the five-year pilot program.
Pilot Funding, Vendor, and Privacy Rules
San Jose is one of six California cities authorized to test automated speed safety cameras for up to five years under a state law that took effect in early 2024, alongside San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Glendale, and Long Beach. City officials noted that 18 months after San Francisco began operating speed cameras, the city recorded an 85% reduction in drivers traveling 10 mph or more over the speed limit near camera sites.
San Jose received an $8.5 million federal grant through the Safe Streets and Roads for All program to purchase the cameras, and state law requires any citation revenues to be reinvested into the program or street safety and traffic-calming improvements.
The camera system is provided by vendor Verra Mobility Solutions, Inc. According to the city, the fixed cameras flash to photograph only the rear license plate—never drivers, passengers, or video—and each citation is reviewed by a San Jose Department of Transportation staff member before mailing. Data is stored confidentially under the city’s Data Use and Digital Privacy Policies and cannot be shared with other agencies except under court order.
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