More Illinois suburbs are ditching red-light cameras. Drivers should celebrate after the devices have issued over $1.5 billion in fines and failed to make roads any safer.
Red-light cameras on Chicago’s South Side issued more than triple the number of tickets per intersection as on the North Side between June 2024 and May 2025. Fines citywide dropped over $12 million from the previous 12 months.
Red-light cameras on the city’s South Side issued the most tickets per intersection between October 2023 and September 2024, more than 2.5 times as many as cameras on the North Side. Citywide, fines are up to $61.4 million for past 12 months.
Local governments generated $500 million from red-light camera tickets since 2019, with Chicago alone collecting $223.8 million. Total since 2008: $1.56 billion.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is demanding resignations from two longtime Democratic state senators. One faces federal bribery charges in connection with red-light cameras. The other allegations of domestic abuse and harassment of a top staffer.
Illinois state Sen. Emil Jones III is the latest politician charged with bribery as well as lying to the FBI in a corruption probe involving red-light cameras.
The Chicago City Council blocked a vote to repeal the lower speed camera ticket threshold, responsible for $59 million in tickets last year. Mayor Lori Lightfoot now has until July 20 to save a policy that issued more tickets than Chicago has residents.
Oakbrook Terrace’s former mayor pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges related to red light cameras and faces up to five years in prison. The state recently shut off the cameras.
Chicago drivers were issued more speed tickets in 2021 than there are city residents. Annual ticket revenues doubled, but fatal crashes still increased.
Crestwood Mayor Louis Presta pleaded guilty to bribery, lying to federal authorities and tax charges as part of a pay-to-play red-light camera scheme. The cameras took $1 billion from Illinois drivers in a decade.
Published June 3, 2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The best path to empowerment and success, especially for poor people, is work. Work allows us to prosper while providing dignity, upward mobility, the means to support ourselves and create value for others. It’s how we become thriving members of our community. Central to this process is our education...