Traffic Safety

Traffic Safety Dashboard

This dashboard is intended to help residents understand how traffic safety concerns are identified, how enforcement priorities are determined, and what actions are being taken to improve roadway safety.

Department Commitment

The Mercer Island Police Department is committed to traffic enforcement that is fair, transparent, data-informed, and focused on public safety. We will continue to review traffic concerns, evaluate collision trends, and work with residents and City partners to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and all roadway users.

Our Traffic Safety Priorities/Focus Areas

Mercer Island Police Department traffic enforcement focuses on behaviors most likely to contribute to collisions, injuries, or serious public safety risks, including:

Focus Area

Reason for Focus

Current Approach

Speeding Concerns

Resident complaints, traffic volume, roadway characteristics, and collision trends

Directed patrols, speed monitoring, education, and enforcement when appropriate

School Zones

Student safety during arrival and dismissal periods

Scheduled patrol presence, education, warnings, and enforcement when appropriate

Reckless Driving & Racing

Reports of excessive speed, aggressive driving, and racing activity

Focused enforcement efforts, complaint tracking, and targeted patrols when resources permit

Pedestrian Safety

Crosswalk activity, pedestrian traffic, and community safety concerns

Education, enforcement, visibility patrols, and coordination with traffic engineering

Bicycle Safety

Shared roadway use, cyclist compliance, and collision prevention

Education, enforcement when appropriate, and community outreach

Stop Sign & Right-of-Way Violations

Intersection safety and collision reduction

Directed patrols, enforcement, and public education

Distracted Driving

Statewide traffic safety priority and collision prevention

Targeted enforcement and educational outreach

Impaired Driving

Prevention of serious injury and fatal collisions

DUI enforcement, patrol operations, and regional partnerships

Traffic enforcement is only one part of our overall approach. We also rely on education, engineering recommendations, community feedback, and data analysis to improve safety.

How Enforcement Locations Are Selected

Traffic enforcement locations are based on several factors, including:

  • Collision history
  • Resident complaints
  • Officer observations
  • School, pedestrian, and bicycle safety concerns
  • Traffic volume and roadway design
  • Speed studies or traffic data
  • Known problem areas or emerging trends
  • Available staffing and competing calls for service

The department does not publish specific enforcement schedules or operational locations in advance, as doing so could reduce effectiveness and officer safety. 

Traffic Safety Statistics

Note: Mercer Island Police officers do not have citation quotas. Enforcement activity reflects traffic safety concerns, community complaints, officer observations, and proactive efforts to reduce dangerous driving behaviors.

Five-Year Traffic Enforcement Activity

Activity Measure

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026 YTD

Traffic Stops

1,992

3,316

3,816

3,284

5,405

1,646

Total Citations

625

940

1,425

910

2,172

542

 

Citation Breakdown

Citation Type

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026 YTD

Traffic Infractions

295

452

776

399

1,525

386

Non-Traffic Infractions

8

14

5

5

2

3

Criminal Traffic Citations

76

97

192

170

374

117

Criminal Non-Traffic Citations

73

55

31

57

47

21

Parking Citations

173

322

421

279

224

15

 

2026 Traffic Enforcement Highlights (January–March)

Mercer Island Police officers conducted 931 traffic stops during the first quarter of 2026. These contacts resulted in 281 traffic infractions and 421 cited violations. Because multiple violations may be identified during a single traffic stop, the number of violations cited may exceed the number of infractions issued.

Traffic enforcement efforts are focused on improving roadway safety, addressing community concerns, and reducing dangerous driving behaviors throughout the city.

Most Common Violations

  • Speeding (all speed-related violations)
  • Vehicle Registration Violations
  • Driving Without Insurance
  • Following Too Closely
  • Distracted Driving (Electronic Device Use)
  • Driver's License Violations
  • Failure to Stop at an Intersection or Stop Sign
  • School Zone Speeding
  • Safety Belt Violations

Enforcement Focus Areas

  • Excessive speed and aggressive driving
  • School zone safety
  • Distracted driving
  • Unlicensed and uninsured drivers
  • Intersection and stop sign compliance
  • Vehicle registration compliance

Key Takeaway

Nearly half of all infractions issued (49%) were related to speeding violations, reinforcing the department’s focus on reducing collision risks and improving safety for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists throughout the community.

Resident Traffic Concerns

Residents may report recurring traffic concerns such as speeding, unsafe driving, school zone violations, pedestrian safety concerns, or suspected reckless driving patterns.

When a concern is submitted, MIPD reviews:

  • Location
  • Time of day and day of week
  • Type of behavior reported
  • Frequency of the concern
  • Collision history
  • Available traffic data
  • Officer availability

Depending on the concern, the department may respond through officer patrols, speed monitoring, education, enforcement, referral to traffic engineering, or continued tracking.

Report a Traffic Concern

For in-progress emergencies, reckless driving, suspected DUI, or immediate threats to safety, call 911. If it is a non-emergency, call 425-577-5656 and request to speak to an officer.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 
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