How Much Revenue Do Cities Make from Speed Camera Fines?

Many U.S. cities are adopting speed cameras in school zones and high-traffic areas as both safety tools and sources of revenue. But how much of a typical $100 speeding ticket actually stays with the city? The answer varies significantly depending on the speed camera vendor.

Brevard County Drivers Mistakenly Ticketed for Speeding in Miami School Zones

In a troubling case of mistaken identity, 215 drivers in Brevard County, Florida, were issued speeding tickets for alleged violations in Miami-Dade County school zones—even though many had never driven in Miami. The mistake has sparked community outrage, legal challenges, and a formal response from RedSpeed, the company responsible for the traffic enforcement technology behind the citations.

Drivers Shocked by Out-of-County Tickets

List of 20 Red Light Camera System Manufacturers

There are several manufacturers of red light camera systems. Here are some notable companies in the field:

Redflex: Redflex is one of the leading providers of red light camera systems worldwide. They offer a range of solutions, including intersection enforcement cameras, speed enforcement cameras, and back-office software for managing the captured data.

American Traffic Solutions (ATS now Verra Mobility): ATS is another prominent manufacturer of red light camera systems. They specialize in advanced traffic enforcement technologies, including red light and speed enforcement cameras, as well as software solutions for data management and reporting.

Jenoptik: Jenoptik is a global technology group that provides various solutions for traffic enforcement, including red light camera systems. They offer state-of-the-art camera technology for reliable monitoring and enforcement at intersections.

Verra Mobility: Verra Mobility is a leading provider of traffic safety and enforcement solutions. They offer red light and speed camera systems, as well as integrated software platforms for managing the captured data and generating violation notices.

Sensys Gatso Group: Sensys Gatso is a company that specializes in traffic enforcement technologies. They provide red light camera systems, speed enforcement solutions, and other traffic safety equipment, along with software for data analysis and enforcement management.

Swarco: Swarco is a multinational company that offers a wide range of traffic management and control solutions. They provide red light camera systems, traffic signal control systems, and other related technologies.

Other examples of manufacturers in the field of red light camera systems:  

Optotraffic

Iteris

Traffic Technology Services (TTS)

Gatso USA

Traffic Logix

PIPS Technology (a subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation)

WatchGuard Video

Miovision

TrafficVision (a subsidiary of Iteris)

Peek Traffic (acquired by Image Sensing Systems)

Comarco Products

TrafficLand

Applied Information

 

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other regional or local manufacturers that provide red light camera systems as well. 

NYC School Zone Speed Cameras Network is Largest in the World

NYC's speed camera system now the largest in the world; 2,000 speed cams expected by end of 2021. 

The city is issuing violations of the school speed zone cameras from 6 a.m. Monday through Friday, until 10 p.m., all year round. Speed cameras will be run by the city in 750 school speed zones.

Which states allow speed cameras?

Mayor Bill de Blasio declared that the Department of Transportation had accomplished its objective of installing speed cameras in 750 school areas throughout the city, establishing the largest speed camera network in the world.

The mayor also declared that the speed limit would be lowered by five miles per hour on nine streets in the city, including one on Staten Island, in an attempt to further curb speeding on city streets.

At present, within the 750 designated school zones, 950 speed-cameras are mounted throughout the city. 

While the number of school zones with cameras is legally limited at 750, multiple cameras are allowed in areas, with the city preparing by the end of 2021 to have 2,000 total cameras operating inside the 750 areas.  

Here is our map of NYC speed cameras map below that is continually updated as new locations come online.  We crowdsourced these locations through a network of users in the city.  

The number of school zones allowed to operate speed cameras grew from 140 to 750 in July 2019, with cameras being allowed to operate on weekdays during the year, from 6 a.m. By 10 p.m., with school and summer holidays included.

In the current legislation, the wording now requires cameras to be placed within a quarter-mile radial radius of a school, as opposed to the previous law requiring the cameras to be placed along an abutted street within a quarter-mile of the school.

At a speed camera station, motorists who are photographed violating the speed limit by more than 10 mph earn a $50 fine.  

The installation of speed cameras has been shown to reduce speed in the region by over 60 percent, according to the DOT.

NYC officials said that when the coronavirus pandemic reached New York in March, they saw a spike in speeding violations. They said that lockdown restrictions to monitor the spread of pathogens possibly led drivers to take advantage of emptier highways. Now that most of the city has reopened and traffic has resumed, officials worry that drivers are still ignoring the speed limits that have been posted.

The city is seeking to eradicate all traffic accidents on its streets by 2024 under Vision Zero, an initiative initiated by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014. Although fewer pedestrians and cyclists have been killed in traffic collisions this year relative to the same time in 2019, fatalities have increased involving motor-vehicle drivers and passengers, said Nilda Hofmann, the transport chief of the New York Police Department.

The driver of a car driving beyond the speed limit in a school zone is charged with this type of violation.

• The owner of the subject vehicle is responsible for the ticket if:
• The car was being driven by the owner’s express or implied permission.
• The car was observed by the camera traveling in a school speed zone in excess of 10 MPH of the posted maximum speed limit.
• The violation took place Monday through Friday between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Other information about school zone speeding camera violations:

• The camera must successfully pass a self-test of its functions on the date of occurrence.
• The camera must undergo an annual calibration check and a certification of that fact must be kept.
• Each camera operator must provide a certification that the camera was operating properly on the date of occurrence, which you are entitled to see upon request.

Potential Defenses 

• Your documentation indicates that the ticket was given outside of the days or hours needed for compliance. 
• Your proof shows you are not the owner of the ticketed car. For instance, at the time of the incident, there were other cars near you, and the camera caught the wrong vehicle. 
• Your data suggests that on the date of incidence, the camera failed. 
• You have proof that your vehicle was stolen and not found prior to the incident.