More Cars Cutting Through Properties

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Story Published: Jul 7, 2009 at 10:03 PM PST

By Stacy Lilienthal

Cars are whipping through parking lots and public properties. Drivers are putting people and other cars at risk just to save a few seconds in Yakima. But that may soon come with a hefty fine.

"We have people lined up to get coffee and then all of a sudden, vroom!" Java Heaven Owner Keith Taylor said in a loud voice, "We have a speedway out here." His parking lot is one of a few places where drivers are cutting corners to avoid red lights. Java Heaven hasn't had any damage to its property yet, but a few other close calls. "We've had a lot of people who have started to come out of the espresso bar to go get supplies and all of a sudden they look to the right and they're within an inch of getting taken out," Taylor said.

Police say they're seeing more and more drivers do it. "Have the wait times been longer lately, or is it just that people are being more impatient?" Action News asked. "I think it's a combination of both. It's an issue of them being a little more impatient as well as increased traffic as our city grows," replied Yakima police officer, Jim Moore.

The Yakima Public Safety Commission unanimously voted to have Senior Assistant City Attorney, Cynthia Martinez look at what other cities are doing about it so she can draft an ordinance for the city council. "We don't really have anything like this at this point," Martinez said. She's in the early stages of her research but thinks a new ordinance would allow police to slap drivers avoiding red lights with up to a $250 fine.

Taylor thinks that's a good step . "It's gone on for a long time and we'd like to at some point to see it stop. But as long as people think they can save four seconds, I suppose they're going to keep doing it." Unless a large fine makes drivers think twice about putting people in the parking lots, including themselves, at risk.

A new ordinance might be before the council as early as their next meeting in two weeks.

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