Manteca's red-light cameras are catching more violations than the city tickets.
Manteca police say they've issued 13,367 citations this year, but that number reflects only the violations that made it through the department's review process, according to CBS News.
Here's what to know
The police department has "given out 13,367 actual citations," a figure that leaves out camera-caught violations that never resulted in tickets.
Not every recorded incident makes it that far, Sergeant Stephen Beermann said, because staff must review the case, verify it, and get it mailed within a deadline. "We have a certain period of time that the violation has to be verified and sent, and if they're not done in that period of time, then the violation is not issued," he said.
A comparison with Tracy shows how unusual Manteca's count is. CBS said Tracy has about 100,000 residents and roughly the same number of red-light cameras, but has issued just under 7,000 citations.
Police say traffic patterns may help explain why Manteca's total is so much higher.
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More background
One reason officers point to is Manteca's spot on a busy route linking the Bay Area and the Sierra, which funnels heavy traffic through town daily.
Beermann told CBS that stream of travelers could be a major factor in the gap with Tracy. "We have people to get from the Bay Area to Yosemite National Park. You have to go through Manteca, either the bypass, 120 bypass, or physically through town," he said.
Louise Avenue, Airport Way, Union Road, Main Street, and Yosemite Avenue are among the roads where the cameras operate
A ticket from one of the red-light cameras carries a $490 fine, though police say the department doesn't collect all of it. Beermann explained, "The police department only receives $100 when the fine's paid."
What's being done?
Manteca's approach pairs automated enforcement with human review, and CBS reported that the city finished rolling out all five cameras by June 2025.
Police point to two common scenarios. Some drivers try to beat a changing signal. Others roll through a right turn instead of coming to a full stop.
Beermann explained that the program aims to prevent crashes by promoting safer driving habits, not just writing tickets.
He said, "Hopefully after getting a citation, they'll think next time, and it'll change their driving habits and make communities safer."
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at related traffic-safety issues, from signal enforcement to street design and driver behavior. They cover a federal Tesla probe, Google's AI traffic-light program, Toronto enforcement, safer street design, and Utah highway protections.
• Federal regulators opened an investigation into Tesla's self-driving after reports of red-light mistakes.
• City planners found traffic calming made streets safer for bicyclists and pedestrians alike.
• Utah officials approved $10 million for wildlife crossings to reduce crashes on busy US-40.
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