Los Angeles is about to become a surveillance state on wheels, and don’t be fooled, it’s not about saving lives. It’s about squeezing drivers for every dollar they have under the guise of “public safety.”
Starting in 2026, LA will install speed cameras under a statewide pilot program championed by Sacramento politicians and quietly signed into law in 2023. The cheerleaders for this program cite stats, safety studies, and slogans about saving lives. But let’s call it what it really is: another creative way to line government pockets.
Here’s how it works: automated speed cameras will snap your license plate and generate a fine of $50, $100, $200, or even $500, depending on how fast you’re going.
It’s digital ticketing with zero context, zero human discretion, and zero mercy. You could be rushing to a hospital, dodging a dangerous driver, or simply making a safe pass, it doesn’t matter. The algorithm doesn’t care. It prints tickets.
And if this were really about safety, everyone would be treated equally. But buried in the fine print is the real goal: income redistribution through penalty enforcement. Low-income drivers get reduced fines, payment plans, and even the option of community service instead of cash. Meanwhile, middle-class and upper-income drivers? Full price. No discounts. No breaks. Just another bill to pay.
This isn’t equal justice. This is tiered taxation disguised as enforcement.
A punitive pricing model where the amount you pay is determined by how much they believe you can afford. The message is clear: if you earn more, you’re not just a lawbreaker and revenue stream.
And don’t expect this to stop with a “pilot program.” Once those cameras go up and the city sees the cash roll in, you can bet expansion will be fast-tracked. Like red-light cameras before them, this will be another automated tax collector embedded in your commute.
Los Angeles needs real solutions for traffic fatalities, improved infrastructure, more intelligent policing, and safer roads. Not another cynical money grab disguised as moral high ground.
Speed cameras aren’t about safety. They’re about funding a bloated bureaucracy on the backs of working Angelenos, one ticket at a time.
