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<\/a><\/p>\nThe \u201cVision Zero<\/a>\u201d proposal is set for a vote Thursday, May 21 at the Fresno City Council and it includes many different safety measures.<\/p>\n In addition, city councilmembers Nelson Esparza and Annalisa Perea want to reintroduce red light cameras later this year. They plan to introduce a law crafted by Kevitt\u2019s nonprofit. He says it will be far more effective at reducing traffic deaths than the red-light cameras Fresno had in the 1990s.<\/p>\n \u201cThis new one is much, much better, and much more reasonable. At the same time, it will be a deterrent and should actually make those intersections safer,\u201d Kevitt said.<\/p>\n City Trying to Change Driver Behavior<\/p>\n The Vision Zero plan identifies a series of fixes to Fresno streets to reduce traffic fatalities to zero. Those include sidewalks, crosswalks, better visibility, fewer driving lanes, and cameras.<\/p>\n Esparza said while not a \u201csilver bullet,\u201d the cameras would be part of a solution to reduce traffic deaths in the city. He said he and Perea want to bring the program back before they leave office at the end of the year.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is all over the city, but it\u2019s impacting some areas disproportionately. There\u2019s some pretty poor drivers out here, there are also just basic design flaws. \u2026\u201d Esparza said. \u201cJust given the rate of traffic incidents and looking at some of these dangerous intersections that touch District 7, this is something we\u2019ve got to prioritize and turn our attention to.\u201d<\/p>\n Though the city canceled its red-light camera program in 2005, Perea said cameras could change the way drivers travel. She said the city has a speeding and red-light running epidemic caused in large part by distracted and reckless drivers.<\/p>\n She said even though the city has actively made crosswalks more visible and put up speeding cameras, those upgrades only go so far.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a number of investments that we\u2019re making citywide right now to increase both pedestrian and bicyclist safety, but what it comes to is, we can we make all the investments in the world, but it\u2019s really hard to change driver behavior,\u201d Perea said.<\/p>\n Between 2019 and 2023, the city had 217 fatal crashes and 629 severe injury crashes, according to city data.<\/p>\n In 2025, transportation advocacy organization Smart Growth America ranked Fresno as No. 7 most dangerous metro in the nation for traffic. Streets Are For Everyone ranked Fresno County as the most dangerous large California county with 6.86 average fatalities or severe injuries per capita.<\/p>\n At the April 23 Fresno City Council meeting, Fresno engineer Andreina Aguilar said 89% of all fatal and severe injury crashes happen at 14% of road networks.<\/p>\n By targeting key intersections, Aguilar said Fresno could drastically reduce traffic deaths. Stretches of Blackstone Avenue from Nees to Herndon avenues and from Ashlan to Shields avenues have high injury rates. Intersections at Shields and First avenues, and Clinton Avenue and Fresno Street also have high collision rates.<\/p>\n One intersection that bothers Esparza and Perea is Clinton and Van Ness avenues, Esparza said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s constant activity there,\u201d Esparza said. \u201cYou see the data, you hear it from the neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n Without a protected left-turn lane there, Perea said many of the accidents come from people trying to beat oncoming traffic. Soon, the city will install a left-turn light.<\/p>\n SB 720 Fixes Problems of the Past: Kevitt<\/p>\n Planning for the program is in the early stages, Perea said. It would begin with a pilot to see how effectively the cameras reduce collisions. Fines also need to be determined.<\/p>\n Perea said staff is looking at costs to implement the program.<\/p>\n Fresno for years had a red-light camera program that it ended in 2005 because the system wasn\u2019t effective and did not bring in the promised revenue.<\/p>\n Esparza and Perea want to use Senate Bill 720<\/a>, written in part by Kevitt\u2019s nonprofit.<\/p>\n Unlike the other law \u2014 which Kevitt called \u201chorrible\u201d \u2014 SB 720 is enforceable, he said. He said pictures don\u2019t need the driver, only the license plate. Fines are capped, starting at $100 and escalating to $500 with repeat violations.<\/p>\n Appealing a ticket costs $25.<\/p>\n Revenue can also only be used on safety upgrades. These include bike lanes, curb extensions, speed bumps, crosswalks, median islands, and a handful of others.<\/p>\n Once violations drop below a designated threshold, Kevitt said cameras must be discontinued.<\/p>\n Cameras can also only be put on the worst intersections and for the first six months of the program, only warning notices are issued.<\/p>\n Red lights have to meet updated minimums.<\/p>\n Perea said putting up red light cameras also requires a public notice process.<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone talks about the red light camera program, like how terrible it is, just realize that\u2019s the old one and it is horrible and we don\u2019t support it,\u201d Kevitt said. \u201cIt was bad. It\u2019s still bad.\u201d<\/p>\n Extended Yellow Light a Highly Effective Safety Measure<\/p>\n Jay Beeber, executive director of policy with the National Motorists Association, is an outspoken critic of red light cameras. He says cities too often use them as revenue generating schemes.<\/p>\n In 2001, courts and the California State Auditor found the city of San Diego had given control of the cameras and enforcement over to its camera operator.<\/p>\n The operator exploited<\/a> shortened yellow lights to issue more tickets, the San Diego Tribune reported.<\/p>\n SB 720 requires that cities keep yellow lights at the minimum required length of time.<\/p>\n Esparza and Perea disputed that the cameras would be used as revenue generators. Esparza said cities don\u2019t generally make much money and under SB 720 revenue is directed to safety measures.<\/p>\n Beeber also said when cities contemplate change, they don\u2019t often look at pedestrian or bicyclists being at fault.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Most-Dangerous-CA-Counties-for-Red-Light-and-Intersection-Violations-counties-with-more-than-750000-.jpeg\")
Most Dangerous California Counties for Red Light and Intersection Violations (Streets Are For Everyone)
\nFresno Ranks High for Dangerous Drivers<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Top-5-Priority-Street-Segments-Priority-Intersections.jpg\")
The city of Fresno in its Vision Zero plan identified these roadways and intersections as needing the most safety improvements. The city of Fresno is removing the \u201cCesar Chavez\u201d name from the boulevard. (City of Fresno)<\/p>\n