“Severe Lane Travel” DUI Arrest on SR-512 Had Kids in the Car

The Washington State Patrol pulled over a driver near Woodland Avenue on SR-512 after what troopers described as “severe lane travel.”

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The traffic stop led to a DUI arrest, but that is not the worst part of the story.

State Patrol Stops Driver Showing “Severe Lane Travel” on SR-512

I wondered what they meant by that phrase, but they clarified in the comment section.

“Lane travel” refers to a driver who is not maintaining proper control of their vehicle. The trooper described a car moving in a snake-like pattern, drifting across lanes, touching fog lines, or even crossing into oncoming traffic.

"Lane travel is when someone is not maintaining full control over their vehicle. Their maneuvers will appear snake-like. Typically referring to a vehicle that crosses into oncoming traffic, fog lines, and drifting into other lanes erratically." -Trooper Kameron Watts

That is the kind of driving behavior that immediately raises red flags for impairment.

Troopers Found More Than a DUI Stop

What makes this case stand out to me is what troopers found after they stopped the driver.

They were arrested not only for DUI, but also for:

Reckless endangerment of a child (two counts)
Ignition interlock violation
Outstanding DUI warrants

That combination paints a pretty clear picture. An ignition interlock device is typically required for drivers with prior DUI offenses, meaning this was not a first-time situation.

Troopers Found Two Kids in the Car

Perhaps the most troubling part to me as a father is that there were two children in the vehicle.

That is where the reckless endangerment charges come in. Driving impaired is dangerous on its own, but doing so with kids in the car raises the stakes significantly.

That kind of decision can have lifelong consequences, but thankfully, they were stopped before a crash happened.