KENT, Wash. — Thousands of drivers in Kent were caught by the city's new red light cameras during a one-month warning period.
Most of the violations occurred at the intersection of Central Avenue and Smith Street. Police said 2,297 drivers were issued warning citations for red light camera violations from July 13 to August 12.
Phase one of the city's red light camera project placed red light cameras at the intersections of Central Avenue and Smith Street, Central Avenue and James Street and Kent Des Moines Road, and Pacific Highway in July.
Many more drivers have been ticketed since that warning period ended.
In a video released by the city, Kent's police chief said the city did not put in red light cameras for the sake of writing extra tickets, but to keep roads safe.
Three more red light cameras are now active in Kent as of August 2 at the intersections of Southeast 256th Street and 104th Avenue Southeast, East Valley Highway and South 212th Street, and Southeast 240th Street and 104th Avenue Southeast.
The warning period will end on August 31. Violators caught after that will be ticketed $136.