The City of Sacramento is asking residents to share their experience with red-light running and provide feedback on a proposed automated red light enforcement program designed to reduce serious and fatal crashes.
The proposed program supports the City’s Vision Zero goals to eliminate traffic deaths. From 2015 to 2024, 80% of Sacramento’s 22,538 traffic collisions occurred at intersections. Red-light running contributed to 160 crashes that resulted in a fatality or serious injury.
“Every red-light running crash is preventable,” said Chris Dougherty, the City’s Funding and Asset Planning Manager. “This survey gives residents a direct way to tell us how red-light safety is affecting their neighborhood and commute, and to weigh in on the locations we’re considering.”
The five-minute survey includes a map of proposed camera locations and asks whether those locations reflect residents’ own safety concerns. It also asks residents how they’re connected to Sacramento, whether they see red-light running as a safety issue, and which ZIP codes they live in or travel through most often. The survey is available in English and Spanish.
The proposed camera locations were identified through an analysis of citywide collision data, with particular attention to intersections with a history of serious and fatal crashes. Those locations also overlap with Vision Zero’s High Injury Network, reflecting the program’s connection to the City’s broader Vision Zero Action Plan.
Privacy protections are built into the proposed program. Cameras would capture only a vehicle’s rear license plate, not the driver’s face. The program would be administered by the Department of Public Works, not the Sacramento Police Department, and would not be connected to police databases. Records would not be shared with law enforcement agencies, including federal agencies, except when required by a court order.
The program was made possible by the Safer Streets Program established by state Senate Bill 720, which overhauls how California cities handle red light camera enforcement. Under the new law, violations are civil infractions rather than criminal ones.
Fines would start at $100 for a first violation and increase for repeat violations within three years. Income-eligible residents could qualify reductions of 50-80%, and payment plans would be available for as little as $25 a month.
Revenue from fines must be reinvested in Vision Zero street safety improvements, such as raised crosswalks, speed tables and curb extensions, and cannot be used for the City’s general fund.
The survey is part of a broader community engagement effort. Community pop-in events will run from mid-August through September at existing neighborhood gatherings, farmers markets and other community events, offering more casual ways to learn about the program and ask questions.
A citywide public workshop is planned for early November.
Take the survey at bit.ly/saclight. For more information on the program, visit the project webpage.
Questions about the program can be emailed to visionzero@cityofsacramento.org.
