Carefree highway: Chicago Mayor Lightfoot’s motorcade has over $650 in unpaid traffic tickets

Responsible driving is important for everyone — unless you’re working for the mayor of Chicago.

The police-driven SUV motorcade for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has racked up $658 in unpaid traffic tickets in the past year, according to CWB Chicago.

And one of the SUVs formerly used by her security detail has a notice out to be impounded due to a lack of payment for violations.

The first ticketed incident occurred last July, when a speed camera caught one of Ms. Lightfoot’s SUVs driving 43 mph past Orr Academy High School. The initial $100 fine has ballooned to $244 due to late penalties.

In October, one of her SUVs took a late left turn at a red light, prompting another $100 ticket that grew to $244 with late fees. CWB noted that city records had placed a “notice for seizure” on the vehicle involved in this violation.

Chicago adheres to a stricter speed camera threshold of 6 mph over the limit.

That’s been the case since Ms. Lightfoot lowered the limit in her 2021 budget. The city council recently rejected an alderman’s proposal to raise it to 10 mph just last week.

“It makes no sense for us to increase the speed around the parks and schools when we know what the horrific consequences are for pedestrians and for other drivers,” Ms. Lightfoot reportedly said.

A vehicle in Ms. Lightfoot’s motorcade was given a warning for driving 39 mph through Washington Park in November.

In March of this year, the SUV was caught speeding in that same location and was given a $70 ticket.

A mayoral SUV got a warning in May 2021 for driving 39 mph past Samuel Gompers Park.

Last month the SUV was spotted going 41 mph through that same stretch and was given a $100 ticket.

A statement from the mayor’s office to CWB said: “The Mayor has repeatedly stressed to the Detail traffic safety and that running red lights is never acceptable.”

All tickets will undergo a review to determine if the drivers were transporting Ms. Lightfoot or using the cars for other reasons.

The drivers could wind up being responsible for paying the tickets themselves.