Lighter punishment for CA red-light runners? Some safety advocates back it
Gov. Gavin Newsom may sign a bill to make red-light camera enforcement easier for California cities — part of an effort to curb a traffic fatality crisis that leaves 4,000 people dead in the state each year.
Senate Bill 720 was authored by Angelique Ashby, D-Sacramento, and it generally loosens the penalties for red-light runners captured on cameras. Through several changes, the bill would make it simpler for municipalities to collect fines and recoup the costs of red light camera systems. Lower penalties, lawmakers reasoned, could lead to greater and more successful enforcement.
A 2017 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that cameras reduced deaths in cities. Researchers found that the rate of fatal red-light-running crashes went down by 21% because of the cameras. The study compared cities with the programs to those without; it also compared cities to themselves before and after implementation.
The difficulty of collecting payments from drivers has led some law enforcement agencies to determine that the red light cameras were not worth the investment. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office shut down its program last year, citing the cost. A spokesperson for the agency, Sgt. Amar Gandhi, said at the time that “the program was intended to be cost-neutral,” but that in reality, the program operated at a deficit as law enforcement and court personnel struggled to collect fines.
Currently, drivers are held responsible for violations, which means that red light cameras must capture an identifiable image of the driver. Ashby’s law, the Safer Roads Act, would shift the responsibility from the driver to the vehicle owner, making it far easier to levy fines and harder to challenge the tickets. If drivers want to contest their tickets, those disputes would be resolved in administrative hearings, rather than court hearings, easing the burden on California’s courts.
SB 720 would also lower the fine from $500 plus court fees to $100, including administrative fees. The lower cost could encourage more people to just pay the fine, rather than contest it or ignore the ticket altogether.
Additionally, under current law, red light camera violations carry criminal penalties. SB 720 would reduce those to civil infractions, meaning drivers would avoid increased car insurance premiums.
Although the bill lets red-light runners off more easily, the proposal has won the support of many pedestrian and cyclist advocacy organizations in the state. Locally, it’s supported by Slow Down Sacramento and co-sponsored by Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates; the city of Sacramento also backs the bill.
Newsom has until Oct. 13 to sign the legislation into law.
This story was originally published October 1, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
