Speed cameras in Washington have sent 8,000 drivers notices in the last month, but they’re not tickets.
Speeding is a big problem on America’s roads, and the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is tackling it in an unusual way.
Their use of speed cameras is nothing new.
But the way this state department is using it is quite different.
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Speeding cars are a big problem in the US, with 10,922 speeding-related fatal crashes being reported in 2024.
According to the Simmrin Law Group, this was 28 percent of all fatal crashes in the country.
Efforts have been made to address the issue in various ways.
In one Pennsylvania town, squiggly lines were added to the road to deter fast drivers.
One American man created a set of DIY speed bumps to counter the problem on his street.
Even car manufacturers are playing their part – Ford introduced new tech that slowed a car down when it changed speed zones.
In Washington, speed cameras have been installed in two high-risk locations – one on I-5 southbound between Bow Hill Road and Cook Road in Skagit County, and one on I-90 eastbound by Liberty Lake outside of Spokane.
These cameras measure speed and take a photo of the offending car.
The WSDOT sends a letter to the driver’s address after the fact.
Sounds like a pretty standard procedure so far, right?
Well, not quite.
Usually it’d be at this point that the driver would find themselves landed with a hefty fine.
But the WSDOT has gone a different route.
The letters don’t contain fines, they contain reminders to slow down.
Since the scheme started at the beginning of April, 8,300 drivers have received such letters.
This is set to continue through June, at which point the department will decide on whether or not to continue it.
According to the department’s X account, 47 vehicles were tracked going over 100mph in one month alone.
Just as a reminder, 60mph is the standard speed limit on the state’s highways.
Fines vary by the amount of speeding committed.
If a driver is between 6 to 10mph over, they can expect a $135 penalty.
Anything that goes 40mph over can bring a $432 fine.
It’ll be interesting to see if this scheme makes a difference in the state’s speeding issue.
Nationally, Washington doesn’t crack the top ten worst states for speeding.
Rhode Island was the worst affected, with 47 percent of fatal crashes involving speeding.
Other states in the top ten included Pennsylvania,, Alaska, North Carolina, Utah, and Hawaii.
Washington was ranked 22nd out of 50 for speeding related fatalities.
Florida had the lowest figure.
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