The DC Attorney General's Office has secured its first court judgment under the STEER Act against a Virginia driver with numerous traffic violations and has filed twelve new lawsuits against drivers from Maryland and Virginia. These actions aim to hold drivers accountable for their traffic infractions, particularly speeding, regardless of their residency, and to enhance safety on DC roads.
Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has secured its first court judgment against a dangerous driver under the Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility (STEER) Act.
This landmark decision, along with the filing of twelve new lawsuits, marks a significant step in the District's efforts to hold drivers accountable for violating traffic laws, particularly those from neighboring states who disregard the District's safety regulations. The OAG's actions underscore a commitment to protecting the community and enforcing the laws designed to ensure public safety on the roads of Washington, D.C. The STEER Act, enacted by the DC Council, empowers the OAG to pursue legal action against drivers who accumulate traffic violations within the District, regardless of their residency. This includes drivers who have ignored or refused to pay fines and penalties, often amassing substantial debts through repeated infractions. The first judgment was secured against Ayanna Khalya Wilson, a Virginia driver, who was ordered to pay $77,100 for 244 traffic violations. This case sets a precedent for future enforcement actions and sends a clear message that the District will actively pursue those who endanger others through reckless driving. The OAG has already filed twelve new lawsuits against drivers from Maryland and Virginia. These drivers collectively owe the District nearly $620,000 in unpaid fines, penalties, and fees stemming from a total of 1,989 driving infractions, primarily excessive speeding on DC streets. The new lawsuits follow twelve previous STEER Act lawsuits filed since the beginning of 2025. Attorney General Schwalb emphasized that the OAG's actions are crucial for ensuring safety and deterring reckless behavior, stating that out-of-District drivers must respect the District’s laws. The Attorney General emphasized that the judgment is an important milestone in the ongoing efforts to combat dangerous drivers, speeding within the city limits, and thus endangering pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists. Councilmember Charles Allen, a strong advocate for the STEER Act, expressed gratitude to Attorney General Schwalb for taking action to address dangerous driving. Allen highlighted that the focus is on the fact that there's a small group of drivers responsible for a significant number of dangerous speeding violations. He added that these drivers previously believed they would not be held accountable and had no problem driving dangerously through DC neighborhoods repeatedly. The STEER Act is providing real accountability for dangerous drivers, regardless of their place of residence, and helping to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. The DC Superior Court entered a judgment against Ayanna Khalya Wilson, mandating payment of $77,100 in fines, fees, and penalties to the District. OAG filed suit against Wilson in April 2025, outlining how she had amassed 244 unpaid traffic citations, including 202 for excessive speeding, failed to pay those tickets, and ignored repeated efforts by the District to collect the debt. The Court found Wilson liable and ordered her to pay the District, and the judgment will now be enforced. From July 2025 to September 2025, the OAG filed 12 additional lawsuits against Maryland and Virginia drivers, who threaten public safety in the District. These drivers collectively owe $619,632 in unpaid traffic citations, with a majority of the tickets being issued for excessive speeding. One Maryland driver owes $102,222 to the District for 323 traffic citations, of which 259 were for speeding. The driver accumulated citations across a now-expired New York driver’s license, two Virginia license plates, and 15 Maryland license plates. Of the 259 speeding tickets, 48 were for driving speeds that constitute reckless driving or driving 20 miles per hour or more over the speed limit, and 11 of the 48 constitute aggravated reckless driving or driving 30 miles per hour or more over the speed limit. Another Virginia driver owes $95,508 for 345 traffic citations, with 264 being for speeding. She accumulated these citations across a New Jersey driver’s license, and New Jersey, Virginia, and Maryland license plates. The majority of these citations, 247, were accumulated in under two years, from January 2023 through October 2024, and the majority of these infractions were for dangerous and unsafe driving in the District. Three citations are for driving 20 miles per hour or more above the speed limit or speeds that would constitute reckless driving, 48 citations are for driving 16-20 miles per hour above the speed limit, and 213 citations are for driving 11-15 miles per hour above the speed limit. Furthermore, there is a Maryland driver who owes the District $66,900 for 207 traffic citations, with 152 of the citations occurring in a three-year period between 2021 and 2024
STEER Act DC Attorney General Traffic Violations Speeding Lawsuits Reckless Driving
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