We are asking Seattle’s Department of Transportation (SDOT) to take a step back and urgently make changes to ensure that automated enforcement does not unfairly burden BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities in our city. As members of Whose Streets? Our Streets! (WSOS), a group advocating for enforcement in Seattle’s transportation system to be more equitable and less punitive, this realization set off alarm bells.
SEATTLE TRAFFIC CAMERAS DRIVERS
A new City analysis has found that the cameras disproportionately target drivers in Communities of Color, mirroring findings from Chicago and other cities. These days, this type of silent ticketing is the main form of traffic enforcement experienced by Seattle residents. It gets sent to collections, lowering your credit score and your chances of securing housing in the future. Overwhelmed by the time and paperwork required to access those alternatives, you decide to ignore the ticket. You can’t afford to pay for both the ticket and the week’s groceries, so you weigh the alternative options listed: 14 hours of community service at minimum wage, a payment plan, or a court hearing. Two weeks later, you find a $237 ticket in your mailbox. You don’t realize it, but a camera has snapped a photo of your license plate. Arterial roads like Rainier Avenue are designed for high speeds, and the fast-flowing traffic and expanse of concrete in front of your windshield offer few visual cues to slow down. It’s your mistake, of course, but one that is hardly surprising. Squinting from the sunlight in your eyes, you miss the flashing sign that notes the speed limit is reduced to 20 MPH during school hours. Your drive home takes you along a busy, wide road like Rainier Avenue. Picture this: It’s a warm, sunny Tuesday afternoon, and you got off work early.
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