Philly to double speed camera count

Philadelphia plans to double its number of speed cameras to address a stark gap in road safety compared to New York City.

New data from the Vision Zero Annual Report 2026 shows Philadelphia residents are more than three times as likely to die in a traffic crash as those in New York. The city recorded nine traffic fatalities per 100,000 residents, while New York City recorded fewer than three per 100,000.

City officials credit existing speed cameras, such as those on Broad Street, with helping reduce fatalities by 26% in 2025 compared to the previous year. Program manager Marco Gorini stated that the current goal is to slow down drivers exceeding posted limits. He noted that a pedestrian struck at 20 miles per hour has a 10% chance of dying, a risk that rises to 50% if the driver is traveling at 30 miles per hour.

The report calls for adding three new zones to the speed camera map. Drivers face $100 tickets for traveling more than 10 miles per hour above the speed limit. Carlton Williams, the city’s managing director, said every traffic death is preventable. He emphasized that while improvements are visible, fatalities remain too high and the work continues toward the 2030 goal of eliminating pedestrian deaths.

A structural difference between the two cities drives the disparity. New York City is not restricted in the number of speed cameras it can install. Philadelphia, however, requires state approval for new devices. City leaders point to this regulatory hurdle as a factor in the slower expansion of the program.

There is currently no timetable for when the additional cameras will be installed. The city will continue working with partners to meet its Vision Zero targets.

The expansion follows the recent 2025 data release, which confirmed the effectiveness of the existing camera network in reducing the overall fatality rate.