Washington Traffic Law Blog : Washington Traffic Lawyer & Attorney : Jon Zimmerman Law Firm : Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma

Earlier this week Seattle Times reporter Danny Westneat wrote about his frustration and how his driving habits have changed--for the worse--since Seattle decided to put up red-light cameras.

Since drivers call me daily to talk about red-light camera traffic tickets that motorists have received in the mail (and no one has called me happy to have received such a gift), it is important to note that a red-light camera traffic ticket has no effect on insurance premiums, although if a driver is stopped by a police officer and cited for a red light violation, this latter type of violation does have consequences to insurance costs.

Seattle joins other cities like Auburn, Bellevue, Bremerton, Burien, Federal Way, Fife, Issaquah, Lacey, Lake Forest Park, Lakewood, Lynnwood, Monroe, Moses Lake, Puyallup, Renton, Seatac, Spokane, Tacoma, and Wenatchee in having some form of automated traffic camera devices.

Westneat makes many good observations (more after the jump).

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In perhaps the largest targeting of red-light runners in the State of Washington, Seattle will soon add red-light cameras at 18 more intersections in 2008, more than quadrupling the number of intersections added in 2006-2007. Last year, the City gained more than $1 million from red-light cameras. Some Seattle officials think that stepped-up enforcement will make people safer, even though a City study noted that accidents per intersection INCREASED even after the City added cameras at four intersections in 2006, although mainstream media outlets such as the Seattle Times and the Seattle PI have failed to report this fact, according to thenewspaper.com , a journal of the politics of driving. What is clear is that the City stands to make millions of dollars off of red-light tickets this year. Unhappy about this? City Council Member Nick Lacata wants citizen tax dollars to pay for an additional 24 cameras in 2009 (why not an even hundred Nick?!?!?!). Seattle is not alone - Puyallup will add the cameras in February, with monetary penalties beginning in Puyallup in March. Lakewood and Lynnwood already use cameras for enforcement.

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The Washington Traffic Safety Commission recently obtained a $600,000 federal grant, coupled with another $1.2 Million for police officers to cite drivers for seat belt violations at night, the Tacoma News Tribune reported. If we can't get money for bridges and roads, then at least the police can get money to issue drivers tickets. Beginning this past Monday night, that means more police officers issuing seat belt citations to occupants of vehicles at night and more traffic stops. And what's more, some officers will be working in groups of 8! Yes, you could be pulled over by a SWAT team! 75 law enforcement agencies around the state will be taking part in targeting drivers and passengers so that the police can issue tickets. These agencies include, but are not limited to, police in Federal Way, Lakewood, and Puyallup. What's important for drivers to remember is that unlike the cell-phone and text-messaging tickets that drivers will begin to receive in 2008 - which will be secondary offenses (see previous blog post) - a seat belt violation is considered a primary offense, so a law enforcement officer does not have to witness another violation in order to pull you over. Welcome to Washington, wear your seat belt.

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