On 30 March 2023, Josh Mora -- a 13-year-old boy who loves to play basketball and dreams of playing for the LA Lakers – was crossing Whittier Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA, in a crosswalk, when a speeding motorcyclist ran him down, severing his right leg and leaving him critically injured in the road. He was on his way to a haircut after school. While Josh survived, he lost his right leg - forever altering his life and the lives of his family. 

In 2022, there were 20,834 people seriously injured or killed across CA. That number has increased by 51% in only the last 10 years. THE SINGLE LARGEST FACTOR IN ALL THESE SERIOUS INJURIES AND FATALITIES IS SPEEDING. 26% of all those seriously injured or killed were because of speeding drivers.

One of the worst places for traffic violence, especially speeding, is Los Angeles which has the highest fatalities in over 20 years, nearly double what it used to be 10 years ago. In 2022, speeding was the cause of 37% of all traffic collisions in Los Angeles.

This traffic violence is primarily centered in lower-income neighborhoods and communities of color where more people have to walk and can’t afford a car, neighborhoods like where Josh lives. 

There is a proven and effective way to slow down reckless speeding drivers without slowing down those who drive safely: speed safety cameras. They are used successfully in many other cities in the US and across Europe to catch speeding drivers. 

Speed safety cameras are a well-established and proven use of technology to slow traffic down - not only are they completely equitable and unbiased, but they are backed by study after study.

• Staten Island, NY, reported a 70% decrease in traffic deaths and injuries in locations where speed cameras are present.
• In Portland, OR, traffic fatalities declined by 46%, and speeding by 10 mph or more decreased by 85% after implementing an automated speed safety program.
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on average, fixed speed cameras reduce injury crashes by 20% to 25%, and mobile speed cameras reduce injury collisions by 21% to 51%. 

Year after year, road safety advocates across California have worked with legislators to introduce a sensible and equitable pilot program to use speed safety cameras in California in 6 cities, including Los Angeles, only to have it go nowhere. 

This, despite overwhelming support from many community groups, teachers, medical professionals, and cities across California. And meanwhile, citizens of California continue to die by the thousands due to speeding drivers.

The legislation, if it had passed last year, could have prevented Josh from ever getting hit.

This year the legislation is called Assembly Bill 645. It calls for speed cameras to be installed with priority around our schools, especially on known high-injury roads like Whittier Blvd. The legislation would reduce the fines for speeding down to a reasonable level: $50 if someone is found to be speeding, starting at 11 MPH over the speed limit. This is far less than a speeding ticket from a police officer which ranges between $238 and $490. It would provide a simple way for low-income individuals caught speeding to reduce the fine by 50% or even get it waived through community service. It would also require that any profit from the program be invested back into road safety improvements (better sidewalks, lights or signs, etc.) in the neighborhoods where the cameras are located.

We need a way in California to slow down speeding drivers while allowing safe drivers to drive at normal speeds, without only using armed police officers. It is imperative to reduce traffic deaths and injuries across California, especially in low-income communities where traffic violence is higher.

We're so very close to passing AB 645. Currently the bill is on Governor Newsom's desk awaiting, hopefully, his signature. Help us get AB 645 over the finish line and sign the petition. Every signature helps!

Thank you for your support!

Best, Damian Kevitt
Founder & Executive Director, Streets Are For Everyone