Washington, D.C. is cracking down on reckless driving with the implementation of the STEER Act, a law aimed at road safety that had components go into effect on October 1. Among some of the changes brought in by this law include the ability to add speed restrictions to vehicles for drivers who violate D.C. traffic laws, ensuring that victims of car theft do not have to pay fines for tickets racked up by their stolen vehicles, and going after out-of-state drivers who accumulate significant fines.
The most significant change introduced by the STEER Act is the requirement for D.C. residents who receive traffic citations to pay fines in order to renew their registration in the District. However, out-of-state drivers do not have to pay fines to renew their registration in their home state, leading to an unfair advantage for reckless out-of-state drivers. This has caused concern among D.C. residents like Katherine Eyster, who see this disparity as a fairness and safety issue.
The new law allows the D.C. Attorney General’s Office to sue out-of-state plate owners in D.C. Court, obtain a judgment, and enforce it in the state where the plate owner is registered. Council Member Charles Allen, who heads the Council’s Transportation Committee, believes that this law will add teeth to D.C.’s traffic enforcement efforts. The Attorney General’s Office will dedicate two attorneys to filing suits in order to secure judgments, and although this may seem like a small number compared to the number of unpaid citations, it is seen as a key deterrent and important tool in improving road safety in the District.
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