The City of Richmond has completed installation of its pilot Safety Camera Program, bringing the program to 13 school-zone speed cameras and 10 red-light enforcement intersections across the city.

The program is designed to deter dangerous driving, encourage compliance with traffic laws and reduce serious and fatal crashes, and data from the school-zone cameras show measurable reductions in vehicle speeds at most locations.

A 29-month analysis of the City’s 13 school-zone camera locations found that 10 schools experienced measurable reductions in vehicle speeds after cameras were installed. Three schools maintained speeds at or below the 25-mph school-zone limit throughout the analysis period. At Richmond High School for the Arts, the largest improvement was recorded, with average speeds dropping from 41-mph to 33-mph. 

“Every mile per hour matters when it comes to safety, especially near our schools where children are walking, biking, and crossing streets,” said Andy Boenau, Director of the Richmond Department of Transportation. “Safety cameras are not about revenue, they are about changing driver behavior and saving lives, and the data shows they are working.”

The final red-light camera in the pilot program has been installed at Fairfield Avenue and Mechanicsville Turnpike. A 30-day warning period begins August 27, 2026. During the warning period, motorists who run a red light at the intersection will receive a warning notice rather than a citation.

Following the warning period, registered vehicle owners who receive a red-light violation captured by the safety camera will be issued a $50 citation, in accordance with the Code of Virginia.

The addition of Fairfield Avenue and Mechanicsville Turnpike brings the red-light enforcement portion of the pilot program to completion, with 10 safety cameras installed and operational or entering the warning period:

• Fairfield Avenue & Mechanicsville Turnpike
• Hull Street Road & East Belt Boulevard
• Midlothian Turnpike & German School Road
• 25th Street & Main Street
• Belvidere Street & Cary Street
• Chamberlayne Avenue & Brookland Park Boulevard
• Chamberlayne Avenue & Laburnum Avenue
• Hull Street & Warwick Road
• Hull Street & Cowardin Avenue
• Commerce Road & Maury Street

Drivers are encouraged to:

• Slow down as traffic signals turn yellow. Yellow means prepare to stop, not speed up.
• Stop fully at red lights. Entering an intersection after the light has turned red is a violation.
• Stay alert and avoid distractions while driving.
• Plan ahead and allow extra time to reach your destination safely.

Red-light running contributes to hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries across the country each year. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more than 1,000 people are killed and more than 100,000 are injured annually in crashes involving drivers who run red lights.


For more information about Richmond’s Safety Camera Program, visit rva.gov/police/safety-camera-program.

For more information about Richmond’s Vision Zero efforts, visit rva.gov/public-works/vision-zero.