Golden Gate Bridge's Ghost Toll Booths Cause Record Number of Crashes

A record number of crashes

Through October of this year, 45 drivers have crashed at the southbound toll booths, marking the highest number of collisions at the plaza since 2018, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The pace of these incidents appears to be accelerating, with 29 of those crashes occurring in just the four-month period leading up to October.

Bridge officials attribute this sharp increase primarily to driver inattention. Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, a spokesperson for the Golden Gate Bridge Transportation Authority, identified the core issue as "inattentiveness and distraction," specifically citing drivers who are "on their phones, fumbling with their transponders and distracted in other ways".

An outdated design in a modern world

The root of the problem lies in a physical setup that has not evolved with technology. The toll booths themselves have not been operational since 2013, when the bridge moved to an all-electronic tolling system. While scanners above the canopy now automatically collect payments, the large, solid concrete booths and lane dividers remain in place.

This creates a potentially confusing and hazardous environment. Unlike a decade ago, when drivers had to come to a complete stop to pay, they now tend to blow right through the plaza, often without slowing down sufficiently or focusing on navigating the narrow lanes. The continued presence of the booths means that a momentary lapse in attention can easily lead to a collision with these fixed structures.

A complex and costly fix

The most obvious solution—removing the booths altogether—is a massive undertaking with no immediate timeline. The Golden Gate Bridge operates independently of other Bay Area bridges, and while the Bay Area Toll Authority has a plan to remove its own unused booths, the Golden Gate Bridge does not.

Officials explain that dismantling the entire interconnected concrete structure is not a simple task. It requires extensive engineering and environmental studies, a public process, and could take months or even years to complete. The current priority is a separate project to build a long arch over the highway equipped with modern scanners to improve electronic payment collection. Only after that project is finished, potentially next year, will the Bridge Authority "embark on a project to look more deeply and in more detail at a modernization of the toll plaza".

For now, drivers have to be extra careful

In the meantime, the onus for safety falls on motorists. The Bridge Authority is urging drivers to be more mindful when approaching and passing through the toll plaza. The key recommendations are straightforward:

• Slow down and obey the posted speed limit signs
• Pay attention to your surroundings and the path of your vehicle
• Avoid distractions, particularly mobile phones, while navigating the lanes

This situation serves as a broader reminder that road design and driver behavior must evolve together. As transportation technology advances, physical infrastructure must adapt accordingly to ensure safety. For now, drivers on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge are reminded that even on a familiar route, vigilance is the key to a safe journey.