SPOKANE, WA – A new pilot program using cameras to identify speeding vehicles on Interstate 90 in eastern Washington launched this week.
The Washington State Department of Transportation is partnering with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and Washington State Patrol to reduce the number of speed-related crashes with a pilot program created by the state Legislature. Highway Speed Cameras will track speed and license plates of speeding vehicles. The registered owners of the vehicles observed speeding will receive courtesy notices through the mail encouraging them to slow down – but there will be no fine to pay.
According to officials, the goal of this program is to change driver behavior, prevent collisions and injuries and save lives. In 2023, the state saw an increase in the number of fatal and serious crashes, including 810 total roadway deaths. On state-run highways alone, there were 358 fatal or serious injury crashes where speeding was cited as a factor, and that does not include local roadway crashes. Speeding is one of the leading high-risk factors for fatal and serious injuries statewide, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
The pilot program is funded by the $1 million from the state Legislator. It will be tested in easter Washington on eastbound I-90 near Liberty Lake, between the Liberty Lake and State Line interchanges in Spokane County.
The locations were selected after program managers reviewed crash data and targeted roadways where speed was a factor in fatal and serious injury collisions. The locations were also selected because they provided enough space between on- and off-ramps to obtain accurate data.
When a driver receives a courtesy notice, it informs them of the speed at which their vehicle was traveling and the potential cost of a ticket for that speed. The message on the courtesy notice focuses on safety. This program does not issue fines, nor does it affect driving records.
Following the pilot program’s conclusion in June, WSDOT will analyze the data from the cameras, review public feedback and report back to the Legislature.
