C.A.R.E.S Traffic Safety Program

Collision Avoidance, Reduction & Education School


Spokane County Sheriff's Office, Spokane Valley Police Department and Liberty Lake Police Department issued traffic tickets may attend.

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Traffic Safety Program is an effort to further improve roadway safety while holding drivers accountable for their driving and adherence to Washington State law. Motorists may be able to avoid being penalized for certain minor traffic infractions by 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 affect your insurance premium.

The traffic safety program is designed to increase the driver’s knowledge of traffic rules and regulations, and improve driving techniques and strategies. The class fee is $145 and successful graduates do not have to appear in court.


Enrollment Is Not Allowed for the Following Infractions

  • No insurance UNLESS you can show proof that you have obtained liability insurance covering YOU by your scheduled class date.
  • If your driver's license is suspended, revoked, or expired when you apply for the class.
  • Speeding in school, park, or construction zone.
  • Multiple moving violations on one infraction.
  • Juvenile license restriction violations.
  • Negligent Driving infractions or criminal citations.
  • Any violation if you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
  • Other violations as law requires

Drivers stopped for minor traffic infraction may receive a Notice of Infraction. Drivers 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, and then move to have the infraction dismissed upon successful completion of the course.


Class Hours and Location


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 and Thursday nights. We schedule approximately 2 of each of these classes for a total of 6 classes per month. Classes are held at:

Spokane County Valley Police Precinct (in the District Court Room) 

12710 E. Sprague Avenue 

Spokane Valley, Washington 99216

Directions

Contact Information


Persons with additional questions 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 email to the program.


Download the Collision Avoidance Reduction and Education School (C.A.R.ES) Handout (PDF) for more information.