DC sues three Maryland drivers for $90K in unpaid traffic fines

The District of Columbia has initiated lawsuits against three Maryland drivers—Andre Bowman, Earl Curtis, and Leon Carter—accusing them of accumulating over $90,000 in unpaid traffic fines due to reckless driving. These cases mark the first enforcement actions under the new Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility (STEER) Act, which allows the D.C. Attorney General to pursue legal action against non-resident drivers with significant unpaid violations. Attorney General Brian Schwalb emphasized that traffic fatalities in the District are at alarming levels, with 52 deaths reported last year, and indicated that many of the reckless drivers come from outside D.C. The lawsuits detail specific infractions, including excessive speeding, with Bowman having the most significant debt at nearly $37,000 for 135 violations. Schwalb plans to aggressively enforce this legislation to enhance public safety on D.C.'s roads, stating that there will be consequences for dangerous driving behavior. This initiative is crucial as D.C. lacks ticket reciprocity with neighboring states, complicating accountability for violators.