Automated traffic enforcement has been part of Virginia Beach’s roadway safety strategy for over a decade. The city’s PHOTOSafe program, which uses red-light cameras at key intersections, is designed to reduce dangerous crashes and change driver behavior. In 2025, the system continues to evolve, with city officials approving the expansion into school-zone speed enforcement. This article explains how the program works, the laws behind it, where cameras are located, your rights as a driver, and the impact these systems have had on safety.
Virginia’s Legal Framework for Photo Enforcement
The use of red-light cameras in Virginia is governed by state law. Virginia Code sets strict limits on how cameras can be used, requiring engineering studies before installation, visible signage warning drivers within 500 feet of an enforced intersection, and a 0.5-second grace period after the light turns red before a camera can register a violation. Importantly, camera-issued tickets are treated as civil penalties rather than moving violations. That means they do not carry driver’s license points and do not go on your DMV record. The maximum fine for a red-light camera ticket is $50. By contrast, a police officer’s ticket for the same violation can carry higher fines and DMV points.
Virginia Beach PHOTOSafe Program
Virginia Beach launched its PHOTOSafe red-light camera system in 2009. Today, the city operates cameras at 11 major intersections. The police department oversees the program, with a private vendor handling camera operation and initial violation processing. City officials report that collisions at monitored intersections have declined significantly since the system’s installation. At some locations, crashes have dropped by more than 70%. This statistic is often cited when the City Council considers whether to expand the program.
Example intersections that have had cameras include:
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Virginia Beach Boulevard at Independence Boulevard
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Indian River Road at Kempsville Road
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Holland Road at Rosemont Road
Each intersection is clearly marked with signs warning drivers that enforcement is in place.
Speed Cameras Coming to School Zones
In March 2025, the Virginia Beach City Council approved the installation of school-zone speed cameras as part of PHOTOSafe. These cameras will issue $100 tickets to drivers traveling more than 10 mph over the posted school-zone limit. Officials emphasized that the goal is safety, not revenue. The revenue generated is earmarked for pedestrian infrastructure improvements around schools, such as better crosswalks, flashing beacons, and sidewalk upgrades. Deployment of these new cameras is expected to begin later in 2025.
What Happens if You Get a Ticket
If a PHOTOSafe camera captures your vehicle running a red light, you’ll typically receive a ticket in the mail within 3–7 days. The ticket includes a photo and, in many cases, a short video clip of the violation. Because these tickets are civil penalties, they are not reported to insurance companies and don’t add points to your license. However, ignoring them can lead to collections, so they should be taken seriously.
How to Challenge a Ticket
Although PHOTOSafe tickets are designed to be accurate, they can be contested. Drivers have successfully challenged tickets on grounds such as:
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Missing or obscured signage: State law requires warning signs.
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Signal timing issues: If the yellow light was too short, the citation may be invalid.
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Camera maintenance problems: Cameras must be properly calibrated.
If you decide to challenge a ticket, review the evidence online and consider gathering photos or witness statements from the intersection.
Safety vs. Revenue Debate
Critics of photo enforcement argue that these systems are more about money than safety. However, in Virginia, the capped $50 fine limits revenue potential compared to other states. Virginia Beach reports that while the program is self-sustaining, the true benefit has been crash reduction, especially dangerous T-bone collisions. Studies show that while rear-end collisions may increase slightly at camera-equipped intersections due to sudden stops, the reduction in serious right-angle crashes usually outweighs that risk.
Best Practices for Drivers
To avoid a PHOTOSafe ticket in Virginia Beach:
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Always stop fully at red lights, including right turns.
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Slow down in school zones, especially once speed cameras go live.
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Watch for PHOTO ENFORCED signs at intersections.
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Avoid trying to “beat” yellow lights — the 0.5-second grace period isn’t much.
Conclusion
Virginia Beach’s PHOTOSafe program is one of the most established automated traffic enforcement systems in Virginia. It has demonstrated measurable safety benefits and is now expanding to cover school-zone speeding. For drivers, the key takeaway is simple: obey signals, slow down in school zones, and you’ll likely never have to deal with a camera ticket. For more on Virginia Beach camera locations, you can view the Virginia Beach PHOTOSafe program page. For statewide coverage of traffic cameras and enforcement, see PhotoEnforced.com’s Virginia map.