Sam Quinney News Today

In the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, a location data broker called Veraset offered officials in Washington, DC full access to its proprietary database of “highly sensitive” device-level GPS data, collected from cell phones, for the entire DC metro area.The officials accepted the offer,...

Amid rising traffic deaths, legal mechanisms designed to keep streets safe are breaking down. Is there a better way?

Vision Zero officials are piloting a District government initiative to mail and text drivers warnings that have no legal consequences for their driving records, with the Lab @ DC signed up to evaluate the program’s effectiveness in decreasing traffic violence on DC streets.

Can a simple letter in the mail get a dangerous motorists to drive more safely even when fines have failed to slow them down?

A pilot program will send letters and text messages directly to drivers with histories of speeding and reckless driving warning them of the increased risk for themselves and others.

Stops for broken taillights may be limited or banned to avoid racial profiling issues. Meanwhile, D.C. is trying out sending text messages to known bad drivers. 

A new safety study will see 100,000 drivers getting a message from D.C. government saying they or someone who drives their car needs to change their driving...

The messages will be sent to Washington-area motorists with a history of traffic violations and crashes.