A proposed state assembly bill seeks to use technology to reduce speeding and prevent pedestrian fatalities throughout the state.
Assembly Bill 550, authored by Assemblymember David Chiu, would allow for the use of automated speed detection systems along some of the state’s most dangerous roads through a five-year pilot program.
Speed detection systems work by detecting vehicles going above the speed limit followed by an automated photo of the vehicle and license plate, resulting in a citation for the driver.
According to Chiu, the use of speed detection systems is currently being used in as many as 140 cities nationwide and studies have shown they can curb speeding and reduce traffic injuries and fatalities by as much as 58 percent.
“One thing we all know is that speed kills. It’s the leading factor in fatal collisions and it’s basic physics. When a driver driving 20 mph hits a pedestrian, there’s a 90 percent chance that pedestrian will survive.
At 40 mph, the chance of survival drops to 20 percent,” Chiu said during a virtual briefing. “At a certain point, we have to say enough is enough because these deaths are completely, utterly preventable.”
Despite the technology already being used in other states, speed detection systems are not authorized under the state’s current laws.
Under the proposed bill, local transportation agencies would work with Caltrans to administer the systems along streets with high injury rates. In addition, the bill calls for citations for speeding drivers to be civil citations and not criminal; add no points to a driver’s record; be capped at $125 with alternative diversion programs available to low-income drivers; and subject to an appeal process.
“We are approaching this in a equitable way. In a way that respects privacy and in a way that puts low-income communities and communities of color first,” Chiu said.
uh, NOPE!
why not just force all drivers to be microchiped?
hell NO to this redickculious idea
pedestrians and drivers are both responsible for their actions. stop trying to blame drivers for peds not paying attention. as part of an accident investigation the speed is determined. you dems/lefties will use any excuse to speed money you don’t have and buy technology you are probably getting kick backs from
Why should my income affect my punishment?
Big tech and surveillance capitalism. People are monitored enough and their privacy is already being treated like a thing of the past. It started with the War on Terror nonsense – when trillions in Cold War money failed to prevent the events of that day: we spent more money to surveil the domestic population. They did the same thing in DC after January 6: after trillions in funds over decades on anti terrorism failed to stop a rag tag bunch of fake news consumers: more money on surveillance. Prove its a problem. Find what is causing the problem. Treat the cause not the symptom. Solve the problem, do not complicate it.. No more cameras on the streets.
If you can’t look both ways and cross the street without getting hit by a gigantic vehicle that makes noise you are special
It’s just radar detection with an auto citation app.
It’s a great way to control the people.
Since so many people are incapable of controlling themselves, the government has no choice but to control them.
The government could also use this technology to photograph people while they are using their phones, texting, or watching a movie while driving.
Obey your leaders.
They know better than anyone how you should behave.
My concern is that the money spent on this technology will take away the money the state spent on illegals and the homeless.
I sincerely hope that they don’t see their free benefits reduced.
“Since so many people are incapable of controlling themselves, the government has no choice but to control them.”
So you are against speed limits in general or you just think that speeders should only be ticketed if they are seen by a police officer?
I, for one, welcome our corporate/government fusion panopticon. You don’t have anything to hide, do you comrade?
We will get this whether we want this or not. Democrats know their seats are utterly safe, and they can do almost anything they want. Jeebus I can’t wait to get out of California. And people like this called the Orangeman a facist.
What is the difference between this and the machine that takes a picture and gives you a ticket if you don’t pay bridge toll?
Revenue grab.
Another proposed money grab courtesy of David Chiu.
Don’t you love how this new law puts low income and communities of color first? How exactly does it put them first? By implying they must be poor so exempt from fines? Interesting, and why exactly are poor people exempt from fines? Is that same way criminals are exempt from laws in California? This is truly a bizarre state
Why not a camera to fine pedestrians for not paying attention and getting in the roadway when they should not!
Let’s deal with the actual cause of the issue and not the low hanging fruit.
Really! You damn politicians have nothing better to do as usual. Keep electing the liberals, socialists and entitlement Democrats.
You must be so proud voters and the fools you elect.
You all are a disgrace.
“You all are a disgrace” That is one heck of a blanket statement. With all due respect…speak for yourself. I am not under that blanket and tend to be kind to others.
Another thing to try to control the public. They hate us for our freedom.
Though maybe th e bottom line is the bottom line: more revenue from fines. Similarly that’s the real reason behind the $15 minimum wage which is not to help those receiving the wage but more tax revenue it brings in.
This is racist since the plan is to put people of color and low income first. Why are they any different in paying attention in crossing the street? What a waste of money that cities don’t have!!!
Start with hwy 4 Brentwood to concord
How about telling people, including people of color or of low income, to stop jaywalking? Maybe cite folks for jaywalking so they know not to cross the street illegally where they put themselves at risk of causing a collision?
Hello BIG BROTHER!
Umm, that is a NO for me. Not because I do not think we should curb speeding, but because the use of that camera/tickets will expand to ‘other’ uses quickly. We already have GPS in our cars, phones, etc … we can track down ipads and computers at the push of a button … I do not need or want to be tracked anymore than I already am.
This proposed ‘solution’ addresses only one side of the equation, the cars. Well, the accident takes two parties … the pedestrian/bicyclist and the car. I have seen countless bicyclist running red lights and stop signs along Taylor, Alhambra, etc … Many of them do not even slow down. Recently one on Alhambra did not like the car trying to make a right at the red light, so he went around to the left turn lane, ran the red light and continued on his merry way … Pedestrians are JUST as bad. I see many of them jay walking across Taylor just East of Morello at the canal trail because they are too lazy to walk to one of the cross walks. I almost took out a bicyclist there about a week ago … and the guy had the nerve to yell at me!
No, this is a big NO from me!
Next step: Your car will automatically report you any time you speed and you’ll receive a ticket in the mail, at least until all cars have a standard printer that can just spit it it right out at you.
“John Spartan, you have recieved one citation for violation of the verbal morality code.”
I remember thinking Demolition Man was pretty ridiculous and over the top. That thing is basically a how-to guide for the current progressive nanny statists.
Guess i wont be needing that toilet paper
“in a way that puts low-income communities and communities of color first”
So, non-colored people are now officially last? Yes I know that this has been the goal for long time in this state but to put it in writing is surprising. And I guess the state speed limit will now be reduced to 20 mph. Of course, politicians will be exempt from all new rules and regulations.
FYI – chiu is as worthless as wiener.
On the bright side, when this thing inevitably catches too many “BIPOC” speeders, we can look forward to rioters smashing the machines as instruments of white supremacy.
There are about 19,500 cities in the US. Only about 140 use this garbage. That should tell you right there it’s a bad idea unless you’re greedy.
I’m pretty sure stupidity (jaywalking, etc) is the leading cause of pedestrian fatalities. The speed limit on most of Clayton Rd is 40MPH. According to this article, a pedestrian still has an 80% chance of being killed.
Equity thrown in the language, geez
Hey how about putting more people to work and hire more traffic only officers.
This would take care of more problems than just speeding. Then the legislators can rewrite the laws so that part of the fine goes to the cities budget to cover the extra cost for those officers but with out the quotas that can be abused. Driving now is getting ugly in all aspects of bad drivers and something needs to be done
While you’re at it, go ahead and put shock collars on everyone, so when they say something moronic, like “pedestrians always have the right-of-way,” they get a reminder that stupidity should be painful.
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MR. CHIU…….. HOW WILL THIS BE FUNDED?
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Have this in front of schools. Otherwise I don’t see this having much of an effect on how people drive.
“Speed detection systems work by detecting vehicles going above the speed limit followed by an automated photo of the vehicle and license plate, resulting in a citation for the driver.”
‘Mo money, Mo money’.
#DefundDavidChiu
So…….. after you safely sped to work and safely sped home again you’d get a citation? But you didn’t hit anything?
Another innovative revenue source for CA dems to steal your money, and do nothing to save lives.
If laws worked there would be no crime. It’s a dem MONEY GRAB.
Not a fan of automated citations, at all. A big can of worms.
What’s with all the comments blaming pedestrians for getting killed??
Yes, there are people who act dangerously as pedestrians. And guess what? There are also people who speed and drive distracted or drunk or high. You think they might have something to do with pedestrian deaths, or is it always the victim’s fault? I think people who get struck by a car when jaywalking have been punished, they don’t really need some tough-guy internet comments to rub it in, lol.
As someone who multiple times over the years has been a pedestrian in a crosswalk (with dogs and/or children) and had close calls with idiot drivers, I’m all for employing measures to increase pedestrian safety. But this ain’t it, and ESPECIALLY when the dumba** pimping this trash straight-up tells you they’re basically just going to enforce this on whitey.
The overwhelming majority of pedestrian traffic accidents/deaths occur during low-light conditions, so it is way more bang for the buck in doing things like installing embedded flashing LED lights, lighted flashing signs, etc. at crosswalks…and educating moron pedestrians in things that should be common sense when walking in low-light like reflective clothes or devices (e.g. wrist/ankle straps), flashlight, don’t take chances, etc.
Why not give the idiots crossing the street illegally a ticket instead? We dont need an automated system issuing us tickets in the mail. thanks anyways.
It’s a constitutional issue as drivers are unable to confront their accuser in court. This is how red light cameras were banned. Stop pissing away tax money and you won’t need to piss tax money away on stupid programs like this.
Perhaps that is why they are calling it “civil” not criminal. Always find one way or another. Democrats love to work around the letter of the law to continue to chip away freedom.
How cute, press release even includes DEMs newest favorite noun equitable, equity . . . . so that makes it OKFine.
Comparing 20 to 40 mph, can you say cherry picking.
Whatsa matter did 25 mph not give the stats they were looking for ? ?
Call this what this is, another thinly veiled blatant attempt to gain revenue for government.
An since DEMs have a supper majority in state legislature, whatever shiny thing attracts their attention, they can pass. When it goes into effect expect even more people will deface their plates attempting to defeat the system.
Something to consider with newer vehicles, bet you didn’t know they upload how you operate vehicle and where you are and MORE,
daily mail https://tinyurl.com/bpakyfhu
Give ’em time, they’ll gather speed data, exact position of your vehicle, compare it to posted speed limit on file and instantly generate a violation.
Plus keep track of each time and accumulate how much you owe. An once all new cars come with front facing cameras they’ll also have videos on file.
Remember red light cameras that are mostly gone now? Private companies profited from aggressive citations (e.g. over line at 2 MPH as turned red, for which my mother-in-law did get a ticked) and lawsuits eventually lead to most being removed as ended up costing more than made over time.
This may face similar problems with execution, accuracy, and law suits.
Or, just maybe, people should stop jay walking across major streets in the dark?
Yeah and this face the same legal challenges those red light cameras did a decade ago.
Concept aside, how is it equitable if it discriminates by income level and race?
Is a person killed by a speeding car any less dead if hit by a driver of a certain income level or race?
The way these guys think is really screwed up.
Very easy fix
1.) Go to county website and download face picture of local county prosecutor
2). Get photo of his personal license plate.
3.) print both life size
4.) Attach plate print to you car!
5.) Cut eye holes and place his face photo over yours
6.) RUN EVERY SPEED TRAP AND REDLIGHT CAMERA IN TOWN 10 times!!
For better impact. Do the above to a local news personality. Let’s watch that news report!
… another money grab… another “tax” … we need new legislature…
How about an automated system to prevent jay walking across major streets? A taser and lasso system would be sweet and the city could post the best on YouTube and make some money.
If we were behaving ourselves we would not have this problem of speeding and bad driving. Even if it is a revenue grabber this is necessary to stop us from driving as we want to. We cannot afford cops to every intersection! Too bad but this will put a stop of reckless driving. I am all for it.