A Speed Safety System Pilot Program will soon change the way travelers drive around Los Angeles and beyond.
Beginning January 1st, 2026, the state will begin to enforce AB-645, a measure that was originally approved in October 2023. It allows select California cities to install cameras that capture speeders and ticket them.
That’s right. Cameras will begin capturing drivers going over the speed limit and automatically ticket the registered owner of the car, similar to red light cameras. This five-year pilot program is placing these cameras in “high-risk areas,” including school zones, parks, construction zones, senior centers, and busy commercial areas.
How much are the speeding tickets?
Ticketing begins at 11 miles an hour over the speed limit, costing drivers $50 for going 11–15 mph over. The fine goes up the higher a driver is speeding over the limit: $100 for 16–25 mph, $200 for 26–99 mph, and $500 if you’re driving 100 mph or more.
And that’s not the only consequence under the new measure. If the California Highway Patrol catches you speeding over 100 mph, your driver’s license could be revoked by the DMV.
“We want to take immediate action against dangerous drivers before their carelessness leads to a deadly crash,” Steve Gordon, director of the DMV, said in a statement. “We’re being proactive and together with our CHP partners, we’re ready to put the brakes on this reckless behavior.”
Speeding is a major factor in traffic collisions that lead to death or injury.
The LA Times reports that fatalities and serious injuries related to speeding and aggressive driving have increased by 52% since 2010. Los Angeles is one of the six cities chosen to participate in the program alongside Oakland, San Jose, Long Beach, Glendale, and San Francisco.
The full report indicates Glendale has already activated the speed cameras in nine locations. Cameras around Los Angeles are projected to begin operating in mid-2026. Both Long Beach and Malibu are expected to install cameras this spring.
Since beginning in San Francisco last August, officials say the program has lowered speeding by 72% in 15 camera locations. Following a grace period in June and July, where drivers caught speeding received warnings, over 16,000 citations have already been reported. It’s unclear if L.A. will utilize a similar rollout.