Seattle expands school zone safety camera program to enhance traffic safety measures

The Seattle Transportation Committee meeting on April 1, 2025, focused on the performance and expansion of the city's traffic safety camera program. Key discussions included the effectiveness of various types of safety cameras, changes in state law, and plans for future installations aimed at enhancing road safety.

The presentation highlighted the role of speed safety cameras as a proven countermeasure to reduce traffic accidents, aligning with the Federal Highway Administration's Vision Zero goals. Since their introduction in Seattle in 2006, red light safety cameras have shown a significant reduction in violations and crash severities, with a 50% decrease in red light violations reported after their installation.

The committee also reviewed the performance of public transportation lane and block the box cameras, which were authorized in 2020. Currently, there are six locations for each type of camera, with an average of 11,000 citations issued monthly for bus lane violations and about 1,700 for block the box infractions. The data indicates a "riskivism" rate of approximately 30% for bus lane cameras, suggesting that a significant number of offenders repeat violations.

Additionally, the meeting addressed the school zone safety camera program, which has been operational since 2008. The program has transitioned from mobile to fixed cameras, now installed at 19 locations. The data shows a 60% decrease in violations and a 50% reduction in total crashes in school zones with cameras, particularly during school hours, where crashes have decreased by 70%.

Plans are underway to double the number of school zone safety cameras, with 19 additional installations planned. The committee emphasized the importance of equity in camera placement, ensuring that new installations consider socioeconomic factors to better serve all communities.

Overall, the meeting underscored Seattle's commitment to improving traffic safety through data-driven strategies and equitable distribution of safety resources. The Transportation Committee will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these programs and report on their impacts in the coming months.