Unpaid DC parking tickets total more than $84 million, report says

WASHINGTON - A new report by AAA reveals that drivers owe Washington D.C. more than $84 million in unpaid traffic and parking tickets. Also, one out of every four tickets issued in the city last year went unpaid.

A combined total of 627,574 parking, speed camera, red light camera and moving violation tickets were unsettled. This number resulted in a 24 percent increase in unpaid tickets over the previous year.

He said failing to pay these tickets could lead to credit problems, added fees and wage garnishments.

"If you live in the District of Columbia, they can seize your District income tax check," said John Townsend of AAA Mid-Atlantic.

To make matters worse, seven out of ten offenders live in Maryland or Virginia and there is no pressure for them to pay their past due tickets.

"People who live in Maryland owe almost $36 million in unpaid tickets," said Townsend. "People who live in Virginia owe almost $21 million in unpaid tickets and District residents also owe $21 million in unpaid tickets."

So far this year, motorists have racked up more than $250,000 in citations.