New York City has finished installing red light cameras at 600 intersections across all five boroughs, reaching the maximum number permitted under state law, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn announced Wednesday.
The milestone fulfills the city’s pledge to expand its Red Light Camera Program this year and comes as officials point to a sharp rise in drivers running red lights since the pandemic.
According to NYC DOT data, red light running was a factor in 22% of fatal crashes at intersections between 2023 and 2025. At locations where cameras are in place, red light running has dropped by more than 80%.
Fewer crashes, fewer injuries
The city says the cameras have also cut down on some of the most dangerous types of collisions. At camera intersections, T-bone crashes have fallen by 65% and rear-end collisions by 49%. Since the cameras were installed, injuries from rear-end crashes at those locations have declined by nearly 60%, while injuries from T-bone crashes are down 70%.
Most drivers who are caught appear to learn quickly. In 2025, 95% of vehicles photographed running a red light received no more than one or two violations, and fewer than 0.7% received five or more. Roughly 39% of violations went to vehicles registered outside New York City.
“Safer streets aren’t a guessing game – we know the tools proven to keep New Yorkers safe. Red light cameras help us get home safely by holding dangerous drivers accountable and preventing crashes before they happen,” Mamdani said. “With all 600 intersections up and running, we are stopping dangerous behavior before tragedy can strike and making our streets safer for everyone who walks, bikes, drives or takes the bus.”
Flynn called the recent surge in red light running “unacceptable, selfish and dangerous” and said the expansion works hand in hand with the administration’s Vision Zero street redesigns and safety programs.
“Red light cameras save lives and have proven to change driver behavior,” the commissioner said. “We’re proud to have delivered on our commitment to complete this expansion this year.”
How locations are chosen
NYC DOT selects camera sites based on factors including a history of T-bone crashes and injuries caused by drivers running red lights. Officials said pairing automated enforcement with street design improvements has been especially effective in neighborhoods that have historically seen less investment in street safety.
For Carmen Larino, a member of Families for Safe Streets, the issue is personal. Her daughter Karina was killed four years ago at the intersection where Wednesday’s announcement took place.
“Red light cameras save lives, and we can’t wait to expand this critical program to more intersections all across New York City,” Larino said. “No parent should suffer like I have, and we won’t stop organizing until every New Yorker gets home safe at the end of the day.”
Pressure on Albany to go further
The expansion was made possible by 2024 state legislation sponsored by Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, which significantly raised the number of cameras the city is allowed to operate. Dinowitz said he hopes to see “as many cameras as possible placed in the Bronx.”
A long list of state legislators, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. and Council Member Shaun Abreu praised the rollout, with several pledging to push for more funding and additional cameras.
Street safety advocates say 600 intersections is only a start. Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, noted that the state legislature will have a chance to reauthorize and expand the program in its 2027 session.
“There are still more than 10,000 signalized intersections in our city where drivers can recklessly drive through red lights without any deterrence,” Furnas said, adding that advocates want the program expanded “to thousands of intersections, not just a few hundred.”