Washington State Patrol issued 7,599 speeding tickets in the first three months of automated camera enforcement in construction zones across the state.
The violations come from a pilot program launched by the Washington State Department of Transportation to reduce dangerous driving in work areas. The state averages more than 1,300 work zone crashes annually since 2020.
Under current rules, drivers get a warning for their first offense during the one-year trial period. Second-time offenders face a $248 fine. State Patrol said 262 citations went to repeat offenders, while 3,963 additional tickets are still being processed.
Starting in July 2025, first-time violators will pay a $125 penalty.
The cameras only operate when road workers are present. Officials remind drivers that crews may work at any hour, and enforcement activates whenever workers are on-site, day or night.
State Patrol says the program aims to prevent crashes and protect roadside workers rather than generate revenue from fines.
