WA Officials--Drivers Who Don't Take Driver's Ed Worst Crash Rate

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission is concerned about the rising rate of high-speed fatal crashes in our state.

112 MPH crash kills four people in Renton

According to The Center Square, WTSC officials are gravely concerned. Last week in Renton, a woman and three young children were killed by an 18-year-old who was driving at 112 MPH when he ran a red light and hit their vehicle.

18-year-old Chase Daniel Jones was driving that fast, did not brake, and ran a light before the crash. According to The Center Square:

“It’s very frustrating when this keeps happening with unsafe speeds, and frankly, we’re concerned about how many people are exceeding posted speeds in general," (said) Mark McKechnie, WTSC's external relations director."

Citations for negligent driving, involving 40 MPH or more over the limit, jumped from 203 in 2019 to 395 in 2020, during COVID. Officials said they expected them to drop after pandemic restrictions ended, but they have not.

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The fact they have not dropped is alarming to these officials. McKechnie said first-time drivers who are 18 or 19 who do not take a traffic safety or driver's education course have the worst accident rate "of anyone."

Jones, the driver in the fatal Renton crash, faces decades behind bars, say officials.