These speed cameras are mailing out notices to individuals, but they are not citations.

      Karen Ducey/Getty Images

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      Speeding is a significant issue, and different regions across the nation have adopted various strategies to address it. Many have set up digital signs and large boards displaying drivers' speeds to discourage them. Others have implemented speed cameras, catching unwary drivers who then receive substantial fines. There’s also a town nearby that briefly painted wavy lines on a residential street before taking them down a month later. With no single effective solution, we turn to the Washington Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) pilot program, which employs cameras in an unexpected manner.

      Since early April, pairs of speed cameras have been installed at two locations in Washington linked to serious and fatal high-speed crashes: one on southbound I-5 between Bow Hill Road and Cook Road in Skagit County, and another on eastbound I-90 near Liberty Lake outside Spokane, according to The Bellingham Herald. These cameras record speed and take a photo of the vehicle, with WSDOT sending a notice of the violation to the registered owner. However, these notices are not fines; instead, they serve as reminders to reduce speed.

      Approximately 8,300 drivers have received these “courtesy notices” in the mail since the program commenced nearly two months ago, as reported this week. The initiative will run only until June, after which the department will decide whether to continue using the cameras. Currently, there are no plans to create more camera zones or to use the existing I-5 and I-90 cameras to issue actual fines.

      WSDOT has reported that, within a single month, the program identified 47 drivers exceeding speeds of 100 mph on both highways. The notice sent by mail does not specify the vehicle's exact speed at the time of recording but outlines penalties for various speeding levels, starting from a $135 fine for going 6-10 mph over the limit, increasing to a maximum of $432 for speeds exceeding 40 mph over the limit.

      Will this approach be effective? I have my doubts. If the aim is to gather data, it will likely succeed in that regard. However, if the intention is to send reminders to speeders to deter them, the outcome seems uncertain. Speeders already have reminders—speed limits—and they choose to disregard them. I’m not trying to shame those who've received tickets; I’ve been there myself. But with common sense, it's clear that every road has a speed limit, and getting caught speeding can be costly. That’s part of the risk involved, and ideally, it should be done as safely as possible.

      The letter at least conveys that authorities are monitoring the situation, and they may consider enforcing penalties on those particularly hazardous road segments, which could produce the desired deterrent effect. We won’t know how this has influenced the behavior of Washington drivers until the program concludes and WSDOT analyzes the data. In the meantime, has your community ever attempted a similar speed camera warning-by-mail initiative? If so, what were the subsequent developments?

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