Ross: Maybe we should reward good driving if punishing speeders isn’t working

Yesterday’s Seattle Times story may explain some of the irresponsible driving we’ve all witnessed despite all the speed cameras out there.

Reporter David Kroman found that a significant portion of the automated traffic violations issued by Seattle’s speed cameras haven’t been enforced.

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That’s because for the city to collect the fine, each incriminating snapshot needs to be reviewed by a police officer, and – you guessed it – not enough police officers. So, about 100,000 tickets for school zone and red-light violators have gone unpaid since 2021.

And we know enforcement makes a difference.

I can personally attest to the effectiveness of enforcing those tickets. About 5 years ago, I was 100% guilty of driving too fast on the way to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, and because of that $200+ ticket, today, when I approach a school zone, I pretty much just get out of my car and just walk the vehicle past the camera.

People behind me hate it, too bad. I’m saving you $237.

The result of this non-enforcement is that the city’s traffic safety fund took a $4 million hit this year. This is bad enough, but now that the word is out, I can predict an even further increase in scofflaw-ism.

Especially since the other effect of the shortfall will be to delay plans for more cameras.

Of course, none of this would be necessary if there was a little more self-control. Which is why I want to make another pitch for a system that could be just as effective: a reward system.

The same cameras that ticket you for breaking the law could also be used to detect when you are obeying the law.

And if, from time to time, those cameras were programmed to reward instead of punish, as in sending $50 to a randomly-picked driver who obeys the speed limit or doesn’t run the red light. We might be a little more accepting of those cameras and might even go out of our way to impress them.

And since it’s a reward and not a penalty, the cops wouldn’t have to review it, and the checks would go out automatically.

Of course, the city might not get as much revenue with a system like that, but considering it can’t afford to collect the revenue it’s owed anyway, maybe it’s a good time to shake things up.

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien weekday mornings from 5 – 9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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