California drivers to see changes to speeding and red light cameras

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) – California motorists may soon notice new cameras along their daily commutes.

The state is rolling out new automated enforcement programs stemming from several state Senate and Assembly Bills, including cameras at traffic signals and cameras to catch speeders in Caltrans highway work zones.

California Assembly Bill 645 was passed back in 2023 and authorized the start of the speed safety system pilot program. This allowed six pilot cities (Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose) to work towards implementing speed cameras in designated problem areas within their cities, including school zones and street racing corridors.

That speed safety program remains limited to those pilot cities and Malibu, which was added a year after the bill's passing.

Assembly Bill 289, passed more recently in 2025, will expand the scope of that automated enforcement by permitting Caltrans to deploy similar speed cameras along highway work zones statewide to protect their work crews.

Senate Bill 720, also passed in 2025, focuses on red light cameras and revises existing legislation.

Historically, Cathedral City had red light cameras in some problem intersections. The city's police department still has a webpage online about those red light violations, but the cameras have since been taken down.

News Channel 3 has reached out to Caltrans District 8, which oversees San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, to see if there are plans to deploy those cameras in local work zones.

We also spoke with advocacy groups who said these cameras are necessary to enhance safety. Stay with us for the latest.