I know there's some obscure way of avoiding fines....

Being rich? No. Tou still get fined for that tailight out...

Being white? No. That isn't it.

Oh right! Don't break the law. Or having done so, oay the fine or do the community service. See. I knew there was a little known way of avoidi g the problem.

If people of color are being disproportionately cited for traffic tickets that is a problem.

The correct solution is to start citing white people for their violations; not reducing the already lax enforcement of traffic laws.

I have very little sympathy for these people. Oh? Just a broken taillight? Well that actually is dangerous and could cause an accident. It is long past time we started treating driving like the responsibility it is.

I don't want to see people ending up in prison for unpaid traffic fines, that doesn't help anyone. I propose that anyone can have all of their fines and infractions waived so long as they voluntarily give up their driver's license.

Yes, start citing white people and see how long it takes for these BS layered fines to evaporate and for more appropriate funding streams to be developed for the courts. Who really checks their license plate light every time they get in the car?

Thanks for posting this great analysis, Sydney.

I suggest you create an outreach project that checks and replaces all the burned out lights on cars for free, maybe limit it to those who can show you a 1040 with below $20,000 AGI. Problem solved.

@3, you don't give your car a walk-around with the lights/emergency flasher lights on so you can check ?

Please, nobody tell Syd about how our local emissions inspection program charges a set fee but can require the poor to repair their cars. or is that OK because it's a program that reduces the environmental impact of the crappy cars poor people hold onto ?

@1: Except that being white DOES prevent you from being fined in a significant fraction of cases. Never heard of DWB?
I mean, you'd never heard of cargo cults before (source), so maybe you just don't get out much...

@8 LOL

I know, how about a penalty fine as a percentage of your income, or on a scale relative to your income. So, for example, if you make $1million per year, and you get caught speeding, you have to pay a $10,000 fine. But if you make only $40k/yr you pay a $400 fine.

Seems fair, no?

@7 -- How about a world-class transit system so that people don't have to own cars. Oh, right, you've never experienced that anywhere (because you've never left the USA) so you don't believe it exists or consider it an option.

paying fines to a tax payer funded system that uses tax payer money to employee people to hand out fines so the tax payer funded system can make more money.

tastes like progress

@2: Perhaps being too stupid to know the difference between a tail light and a license plate light should mean your driver's license is revoked for life?

The real problem, of course, is the mammon-loving Republicans in our Legislature who refuse to fund the courts and force judges to raise cash from the most vulnerable. Well, the Republicans in the Legislature and the repulsive greed heads--well represented in the comments here--who vote for them. For shame.

Arrest white wealthy people and give them 72 hour roadside suspensions and watch this change: FAST

@1, There is NO WAY you have a Black wife.

Seattleblues speaks just like every other yahoo that would never get pulled over for something as stupid as a license plate light out. Who the hell would even know that their license plate light is out?

Also once Department of licensing does an administrative suspension of the drivers license, what sort of bureaucratic nightmare loop do people experience to get their license back?

Where does the Washington State Surpreme Court get the right to change state law? Only the state law makers have the right to change the law. This is called ledgislating from the bench, upserting the state constituion.

@1 When was the last time you turned on your lights and checked the back of your car that your plate is illuminated?