In a report released covering the period from June 2024 to May 2025, it has been revealed that red-light cameras on Chicago’s South Side issued tickets at alarming rates, significantly outpacing those on the North Side.
These cameras issued more than triple the number of tickets per intersection, highlighting a stark disparity in enforcement practices across the city.
Citywide, red-light camera fines plummeted, with nearly $56.5 million in penalties assessed through 564,708 tickets.
This marks a decrease of 120,709 tickets compared to the prior year, amounting to a revenue drop of over $12 million.
Comparatively, the most active cameras concentrated on the South Side ticketed 2.6 times more drivers than the citywide average and over triple the number found at intersections on the North Side.
On average, red-light cameras on the South Side issued 9,692 tickets per intersection, exceeding North Side intersections by approximately 6,623 tickets.
Despite the higher ticketing rate on the South Side, drivers on the North Side received 73,309 more tickets overall, leading to a $7.3 million greater financial impact.
In total, these North Side drivers were fined over $14.1 million through the ticketing process, with 46 of the city’s 151 red-light monitored intersections located in that area.
The West Side also saw a significant amount of ticketing, compounding issues for drivers there, who faced fines totaling over $12.9 million from 33 monitored intersections.
The majority of revenue, however, came from a minority of cameras—more than half of all red-light tickets were issued by just 33 of them.
Notably, ten of these cameras generated over $1 million in fines, with four notably exceeding $1.5 million in ticket revenue.
The highest-earning camera was situated at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Belmont in Chicago’s Lake View neighborhood, issuing tickets worth an impressive $1.79 million.
These figures assume timely payment of fines, but it’s important to note that late payments can double the cost from $100 to $200, adding additional financial burden on those caught by these cameras.
Chicago boasts the highest number of red-light cameras among large U.S. cities, with over $601 million accrued in fines collected from June 2016 through May 2025.
However, paradoxically, a 2018 study from Case Western Reserve University indicated a rise in overall collisions despite a decrease in T-bone crashes due to the presence of red-light cameras, suggesting possible unintended consequences.
Moreover, a separate Chicago Tribune investigation revealed that over half of the intersections hosting red-light cameras were among the state’s safest prior to their installation.
The impacts of red-light cameras disproportionately affect minority and low-income communities.
A study by ProPublica established that households in predominantly Black and Latino ZIP codes received tickets at about twice the rate compared to those in white ZIP codes.
Critics argue that without tangible safety benefits, these red-light cameras serve primarily as revenue-generating tools for local governments.
Following a decrease in speed camera revenues, Mayor Brandon Johnson reversed his prior promise to eliminate these cameras, instead opting to install 50 additional speed cameras intended to raise an estimated $11.4 million.
In light of these findings, Chicago’s leadership faces a critical decision: whether to continue expanding these revenue streams at the expense of low-income residents or to dismantle the systems of fines that contribute to ongoing financial strain in these communities.
image source from：illinoispolicy
