Drivers Safety Education Program
Ozzie D. Knezovich, Sheriff
1100 W. Mallon, Spokane, WA 99260
Spokane County Traffic Safety Education Program
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office has a long history of ongoing efforts to improve traffic safety for residents and visitors in our area. We believe strongly in the “3 E’s” of traffic safety – Engineering, Education and Enforcement. Although we can assist the Engineers by suggesting changes to established roadways, our greatest expertise is in traffic education and enforcement. Our new Spokane County Sheriff’s Traffic Safety Program is an effort to further improve roadway safety while still holding drivers accountable for their driving and adherence to Washington State law.
For the first time in Spokane County, motorists may be able to avoid being penalized for certain minor traffic infractions by successfully completing the traffic safety school. The fine for the infraction will be excused and the violation will not appear on your traffic record where it can adversely affect your insurance premium.
The traffic safety program is designed to increase the driver’s knowledge of traffic rules and regulations, as well as improving his or her driving techniques and strategies. We believe that safer drivers will enhance the quality of life for everyone who spends time in Spokane County.
Currently, a driver who is stopped for minor traffic infraction may receive a Notice of Infraction. Driver’s have the option of admitting fault and paying the specified fine, contesting the infraction by pleading not guilty, or mitigating the infraction by pleading guilty with an excuse. Fines are generally reduced to some degree when tickets are mitigated, but the offense still becomes part of the driver’s record. Too many offenses in a specified period can cause their driver’s license to be suspended or revoked and their insurance to be canceled.
The traffic safety program allows offending drivers to pay the cost of the school, attend the class at the Spokane County Sheriff’s Training Center located at 10319 E. Appleway Blvd. Spokane Valley WA, and then move to have the infraction dismissed upon successful completion of the course. Classes are held 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on a Saturday or Sunday, or from 6 to 9 p.m. on two consecutive Wednesday & Thursday nights. We schedule approximately 2 of each of these classes for a total of 6 classes per month.
The class fee is $115 and successful graduates do not have to appear in court. Certain violations are ineligible for enrollment in the traffic school –
- No insurance UNLESS you can show proof that you have obtained liability insurance covering YOU by the start of your scheduled class date.
- No valid driver’s license, UNLESS you can show a valid driver’s license by the start of your scheduled traffic class date.
- Speeding in school zone/construction zone.
- Multiple moving violations on one infraction.
- Juvenile license restriction violations.
- Negligent Driving infractions or criminal citations.
- Any violation while driving a vehicle when a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) was required.
We are pleased to be able to offer this training in the hope of improving the safety of our roadways instead of issuing traffic infractions and hoping that the driver learns from the experience. We believe that the training complements our enforcement of traffic laws, and there is great potential for the Traffic School to reduce collisions within Spokane County.
Persons with additional question about qualifying for the Spokane County Traffic School, costs to attend, or other administrative matters can phone the Spokane County Sheriff’s Traffic School at 509-477-6968, or can send questions in an e-mail to trafficclass@spokanesheriff.org.
Download the Collision Avoidance Reduction & Education School (C.A.R.E.S) Handout for more information.