D.C. Road Safety Campaign Will Target Drivers With Dangerous Records

The District of Columbia hopes a new communications campaign will encourage safer driving behaviors, reports Martin Austermuhle in DCist.

“The city is starting a year-long pilot program where it will send targeted letters and text messages to almost 100,000 drivers who have received a large number of speeding and red-light tickets from the city’s network of traffic cameras, with the hope that those direct and somewhat stern missives will change their driving habits for the better.” The letter notifies recipients that their vehicle has a history of dangerous driving and includes alarming phrases like “YOUR CAR IS MORE LIKELY TO BE IN A CRASH THAN OTHERS ARE.”

The program is designed as one part of the larger Vision Zero program. According to Sam Quinney, director of the city’s in-house research arm The Lab @ D.C., “The goal here is not to be punitive. This is not an attempt to shame drivers. What we’re trying to do is make them aware of their risk.”

The District, like other U.S. cities, has made little progress through its Vision Zero initiative, which was criticized by the D.C. Auditor for a lack of oversight and funding.