Drivers caught on District cameras speeding will now face new points penalties, as part of the D.C. Council’s recent efforts to crack down on dangerous driving.
In a significant development, the implementation of new penalties has raised the stakes for D.C.’s expanding camera enforcement program. Moreover, these penalties empower the attorney general to take action against reckless drivers, regardless of their residency outside the city.
Here’s the latest update: A new law was recently passed unanimously last week and is expected to take effect later this year. This decision comes in response to a significant increase in traffic deaths, reaching a 16-year high. Here are the changes:
- Speed camera tickets can result in the imposition of points on a vehicle, which is determined by the extent to which the vehicle exceeds the speed limit in miles per hour. Exceeding 10 points in a span of six months could lead to the vehicle being booted or towed.
- The D.C. attorney general has been granted the power to file civil lawsuits against drivers, even those from out-of-state, who engage in multiple dangerous driving violations. Many of the unpaid traffic tickets in D.C. are attributed to drivers from Virginia and Maryland.
- A person who is found guilty of driving under the influence for the third time within a span of five years would face a suspension of their driver’s license.
- Drivers have the opportunity to waive up to $500 in fines each year by participating in the course.
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The extent to which the law will be implemented remains uncertain. Mayor Muriel Bowser stated last week that the measures would require D.C. to allocate $123.3 million over a span of four years. She expressed concerns about the Council’s ability to secure funding for the legislation.
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