The following statement can be attributed to DC Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6), chair of the Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s announcement of three new lawsuits against dangerous drivers using newly granted authority from the STEER Act.

“Excellent work by DC Attorney General Schwalb to use a new tool created by the STEER Act to go after people who speed and drive recklessly, putting everyone around them at risk,” said Councilmember Charles Allen. “The STEER Act finally gives our automated traffic enforcement system some teeth. These lawsuits, and the ones to follow, will send a strong message that if you drive dangerously – no matter where you live – we will hold you accountable.”

Councilmember Charles Allen introduced the STEER Act in July 2023, and it was passed unanimously by the DC Council in February 2024.

The law is focused on accountability from traffic camera tickets, particularly those involving speeding and dangerous driving. In addition to granting the DC Office of the Attorney General the ability to bring a lawsuit against dangerous vehicles, it:

• Created a first-in-the-nation program requiring that drivers convicted of criminal reckless driving in court equip their vehicles with a device limiting how fast they can drive;
• Created a new point system allowing DPW to immobilize a vehicle based on multiple instances of dangerous driving, not just unpaid tickets. That section of the law has not gone into effect yet;
• Closed information gaps between the DMV and DC Courts to ensure people convicted of DUIs lose their driving privileges. This section of the law has not gone into effect yet.

The law, notably, contains several provisions that apply to drivers no matter what state they reside in.