Parking and Traffic fines. (driver, percentage, taxes, premium)

[jtur88]

I just found this amazing story: Parking fines: D.C. collects 25Xs what Fairfax Co. does - wtop.com
The average parking meter in Washngton DC takes $39,000 in fines. Per meter! That comes out to $113 per person in DC, just in parking fines. In Los Angeles, its only $12 per person.

I tried to find moving violation fines, but I could only find those for one city---Olathe KS, a Kansas City suburb. This year, they have collecte $3.9 million in traffic fines, which is about $90 average per ticket. Per capita, Olathe traffic court has collected $40 per resident in moving violation fines.


Using Los Angeles and Olathe as average, that means US traffic courts are collecting about $50 a year per person, or about $100 per year per driver, assuming half the population actually drives a significant amount (excluding children, seniors, and other non-owners of cars.

But that's nothing. 1.2-million lawyers in the US made an average of $110K last year, which means American lawyers billed around $125-million, or $300 per person. Not all for fighting traffic tickets in court.

Out of each American's pocket, year after year, comes about $400 in either fines of lawyers fees. $25K in a lifetime.

[JTraik]

Parking meters a problem? That's what this stuff was invented for... it works great!

[ferretkona]

Trying to figure out how a parking meter collects fines?

Do you mean people in LA pay their parking fees or that less dead beats are collected on parking tickets?

[North Beach Person]

DC is different than Fairfax County. If you've ever been to DC you'll know that parking is at a premium and double parking is a major problem. It is a true urban area. Fairfax County, while urbanized, has more of a suburban attitude regarding free parking.
DC has always had a fairly agressive parking enforcement effort.

As a note, Annapolis, MD has much the same problem as DC where the downtown tourists and state government workers meet residential areas and household parking.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

Trying to figure out how a parking meter collects fines?

There is an intermediate step that I didn't think it was necessary to explain. When the meter expires, a meter maid issues a ticket, which assesses a fine.

[Bummer]

Parking Meters are GREAT!

The more revenue a parking meter generates . . . lower taxes for all of us.

[el borracho]

Just got a ticket the other day ,my meter ran out of time by a few minutes and a meterman just happend to be on the spot

[steel7]

I wouldnt doubt it if the parking meters are "fixed". D.C is loaded with crooks after all.

[dazzleman]

Originally Posted by jtur88

I just found this amazing story: Parking fines: D.C. collects 25Xs what Fairfax Co. does - wtop.com
The average parking meter in Washngton DC takes $39,000 in fines. Per meter! That comes out to $113 per person in DC, just in parking fines. In Los Angeles, its only $12 per person.

I tried to find moving violation fines, but I could only find those for one city---Olathe KS, a Kansas City suburb. This year, they have collecte $3.9 million in traffic fines, which is about $90 average per ticket. Per capita, Olathe traffic court has collected $40 per resident in moving violation fines.


Using Los Angeles and Olathe as average, that means US traffic courts are collecting about $50 a year per person, or about $100 per year per driver, assuming half the population actually drives a significant amount (excluding children, seniors, and other non-owners of cars.

But that's nothing. 1.2-million lawyers in the US made an average of $110K last year, which means American lawyers billed around $125-million, or $300 per person. Not all for fighting traffic tickets in court.

Out of each American's pocket, year after year, comes about $400 in either fines of lawyers fees. $25K in a lifetime.

The statistic that traffic courts collect $50 per year in traffic fines on average based on all residents simply can't be correct. Only a small percentage of residents get tickets in any given year. For that number to be right, you'd have to have over 50% of the population getting a traffic ticket every year, and it's nowhere close to that.