EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) — Along Gustavo Street and Jamacha Road in El Cajon, neighbors say speeding has been a long-standing and dangerous problem.
Residents in the area say they’ve seen reckless driving for years, and worry it’s only getting worse.
“Reckless driving and speeding has become a bigger and bigger problem,” El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said.
City leaders say they’re seeing the impact firsthand, with more crashes where speed is a factor.
Just last month, a violent crash in the area left one car split in half, sending three people to the hospital. While their injuries were not life-threatening, neighbors say it’s a clear example of what’s at stake.
“There are spots in the city where people are driving fairly recklessly, and it's really time we do as much as we can to stop that,” Mayor Wells said.
Now, the city is considering a new approach to slow drivers down.
A proposed pilot program would install four automated warning systems across El Cajon — one in each council district. Using cameras or sensors, the system would send written warnings to drivers caught going more than 20 miles per hour over the speed limit.
“This is a way to really get people’s attention,” Wells added.
Because California law does not allow automated systems to issue fines, the focus would be on changing driver behavior and collecting data on where speeding is happening most.
For residents like Danny Palma, that’s a step in the right direction — but not the final solution.
“Everybody is on the road here, and we need to address the speeding. We need to address the carelessness that’s been happening here,” Palma said.
Palma is part of a local community group working with city leaders to push for safer streets. He says the issue has been building for years.
“This isn’t an issue that we’re addressing that’s recent. We’re addressing an issue that’s decades long,” he said.
While supportive of the proposed warning system, neighbors say they’d also like to see more enforcement and a stronger presence on the roads.
City leaders say the pilot program is just one piece of a broader plan.
Mayor Wells told ABC 10News they're considering other potential solutions including engineering changes like narrowing roads, adding stop signs or traffic signals and installing speed humps in certain neighborhoods.
A community town hall focused on traffic calming is scheduled for April 21, where residents will have a chance to weigh in on the proposals.
For neighbors along Gustavo and Jamacha, the hope is simple — slow drivers down before more people get hurt.
