For Immediate Release
July 6, 2023
Contact: Chantal Fuller, Communications Director
202-355-8431
cfuller@dccouncil.gov

                                                             Councilmember Henderson Introduces Legislation to Reduce the Number of Dangerous Drivers on DC Streets

Washington, DC- Today, Councilmember Henderson introduced the License Suspension Reform Amendment Act of 2023 and the Automated Traffic Enforcement Effectiveness Amendment Act of 2023. These pieces of legislation will increase the penalties for dangerous driving and streamline processes that promote accountability and safe driving in the District. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) traffic fatality data as of July 6, 2023, shows there have been 28 traffic fatalities in the District, which is up 35% from this time last year. There are also untold numbers of accidents and near misses.

Current law mandates that drivers’ licenses be suspended following conviction of certain traffic violations, including driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, operating a vehicle under the age of 21 under the influence of any drugs or alcohol, and killing another individual while driving a vehicle. However, the path to conviction is lengthy, and certain traffic violations are so egregious and devastating that a scofflaw driver should not be allowed to operate a vehicle while waiting for a conviction to be handed down.

The License Suspension Reform Amendment Act of 2023 would suspend the license and registration of all vehicles owned by or registered in the name of any person charged with:

• Negligent homicide where death is due to operation of a vehicle;
• Leaving the scene of an accident in which the motor vehicle driven by the person is involved and in which there is personal injury; or
• Driving while intoxicated or while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug or any combination.  

“If someone is driving under the influence and seriously injures another person as a result of their negligence, they shouldn’t be able to continue with their driving privileges for untold months while a case is being adjudicated. This is a gap in the law we should address, ” commented Councilmember Henderson. “Moreover, we continue to discover dissonance between agency administrative processes and data transmission, and functionality gaps in agency tracking of offenses. These issues must be resolved, and at the same time we must continue to invest in infrastructure changes that force good behavior from roadway users.”  

The License Suspension Reform Amendment Act of 2023 was introduced along with Councilmembers Charles Allen, Brianne K. Nadeau, Janeese Lewis George, Zachary Parker, and Brooke Pinto.

The Automated Traffic Enforcement Effectiveness Amendment Act of 2023 recognizes that District’s reliance on fines as penalties is not and cannot be the only option at our disposal. This legislation would treat moving violations detected by an automated traffic enforcement (ATE) system similar to moving violations detected by law enforcement by assessing points against driving records. Furthermore, the bill requires the following:

• Requires DDOT to diversify the ATE systems they plan to procure to ensure a certain number can capture footage of the front of the vehicle by 2025;
• Requires DDOT to publish on its website copies of ATE assessment worksheets that the agency uses to evaluate the traffic safety environment of an intersection or stretch of road;
• Requires the Director of the DMV to biannually send a report containing the motor vehicle record of drivers who acquire five moving violation infractions in the District to the drivers’ respective automobile insurance company. This provision is intended to encourage compliance of traffic laws using private market tools, especially for drivers with out-of-state tags; and
• Requires the towing or immobilization of a parked vehicle with five or more unpaid moving violations and to require the towing or immobilization of a parked vehicle displaying counterfeit, stolen, or otherwise fraudulent temporary identification tags.

“Moving violations should be treated as moving violations regardless of if they were detected by a camera or a law enforcement officer. If we are moving away from having law enforcement conducted routine traffic stops, then we must strengthen the other accountability tools at our disposal,” said Councilmember Henderson. “If this isn’t the solution, I look forward to a robust discussion of what we should do next.”

The Automated Traffic Enforcement Effectiveness Amendment Act of 2023 was co-introduced by Councilmembers Charles Allen, Brianne K. Nadeau, Brooke Pinto, and Janeese Lewis George.

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