Chicagoans could be fined for driving as little as 6 miles per hour over the speed limit beginning Monday, when stricter speed camera enforcement rules proposed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot go into effect.
In an effort to tackle the city's estimated $1.2 billion shortfall, Lightfoot recommended the new fines as part of her 2021 budget package, which was approved by the Chicago City Council in late November.
A month earlier, Lightfoot said she was trying to explore as many options to combat the budget shortfall, but admitted there would be some painful choices.
City officials have contended the goal is to encourage safer driving and discourage speeding correlated with severe injuries and deaths, rather than issue more tickets.
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Statistics provided by Chicago Department of Transportation showed that traffic fatalities were up 35% through the end of November 2020, with 120 fatalities. During the same time period in 2019, a total of 89 fatalities were reported.
Since mid-January, the city has been issuing warnings to drivers traveling 6 to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit in Automated Speed Enforcement zones. Warnings will stop being issued on March 1.
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For traveling six to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, drivers will receive a $35 speeding ticket. Those speeding 11 miles per hour over the limit will be fined $100.
