Smile, speeders: you may be on WSDOT’s work zone cameras
OLYMPIA – In just three months, nearly 7,600 tickets have been issued and nearly 4,000 more citations were pending for motorists caught on camera speeding in highway work zones designated by the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The WSDOT’s Work Zone Speed Camera Program launched in mid-April and in its first 90 days, thousands of speeding motorists were identified, according to the Washington State Patrol, which has enforcement responsibilities.
State lawmakers approved the start-up program in 2023, after data showed that Washington has averaged 1,345 crashes in highway work zones since 2020. The incidents have led to deaths – five in 2022, increasing to eight in 2023 – along with injuries, significant property damage, and travel delays affecting millions of highway motorists.
“The first few months of the program confirm what statistics show and what our workers have been telling us – that too many people speed through work zones,” Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith said in the recent WSP press release.
Warmer spring and summer weather typically bring an increase both in highway work and motorist travel. State officials say the top three causes of crashes in work zones include following too closely, excessive speeding, and inattention or distracted driving.
Drivers are cautioned when entering work zones, including posted signs specifying the speed limit, advising that cameras may be present and, in many instances, radar feedback signs reminding drivers to slow down.
If a motorist is traveling over the posted speed limit, the system records that along with a photo of the vehicle and license plate and the location, time, and date. The State Patrol reviews the images and data to determine if a violation occurred. If so, a notice of infraction is mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner within 30 days.
There is no fine for the first infraction, but the second and any subsequent infractions carry a $248 penalty. The vehicle’s registered owner must respond to the notice online or by mail, even if there is no financial penalty. Starting next July, first infractions will bring a $125 penalty while second and all other infractions remain at $248. The infractions are classified as non-moving violations and do not affect driving records or insurance rates, but unpaid fines may result in a hold on vehicle registration renewal.
Cameras only issue an infraction when workers are present, which could be any time day or night, and drivers “should always assume workers may be on site if signs are posted,” the press release stated.
In the program’s first 90 days, 7,599 infractions were issued statewide, with 262 of them being second-time offenses connected to the same vehicle and subject to the financial penalty, the WSP reported.
An online website, WaWorkzoneSpeedCameras.gov, was established for alleged violators to pay their fine, contest the infraction and request a hearing, request a reduced penalty, or arrange a payment plan.
“We hope this changes driver behavior – that people slow down, and everyone comes home safe at the end of the day,” said Meredith.
