Hold Drunk Drivers Responsible

Seattle, Washington, on Puget Sound in King County, is 113 miles from the United States-Canadian border. Seattle is also the county seat of King County, and the center of King County government. Seattle residents, known as Seattleites, refer to Seattle as "Gateway to Alaska," "Rain City" and "Jet City." "Gateway to Alaska" refers to Seattle's significant growth in the cruise industry, especially as a departure point for Alaska cruises. "Rain City" refers to the city's mild, rainy climate, and "Jet City" comes from the local influence of Boeing in nearby Everett. 

Seattle is a large urban center with a 2008 estimated population of 571,293 (U.S. Census). Seattle is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan statistical area, the largest statistical area in the northwestern United States. Families made up just 44 percent of the 265,000 households in Seattle, Washington. The median income of households in Seattle was $61,055.

Seattle, WA is the cultural hub of the region. The city is the birthplace of the music style known as "grunge,” which was made famous by local groups including Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Seattle has a  reputation for gourmet coffee consumption; coffee companies such as Starbucks, Seattle's Best Coffee, and Tully's are based in Seattle. The Space Needle is Seattle's best known landmark, thanks in part to its prominent appearance in numerous television shows and films.

Seattle has two major north-south freeways -- Interstate 5 and Interstate 405. The two major east-west freeways are Interstate 90 and State Route 520. To facilitate water crossings, Seattle has a number of drawbridges and two floating bridges. Washington State has the largest ferry fleet in the nation, and Seattle has both car and passenger-only ferry options. Ferries are operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The Metro provides public bus transportation. Amtrak also provides service to Seattle, Washington. The nearby Sea-Tac International Airport serves the Seattle area.

The Port of Seattle and its related activities and facilities benefit the region with its ease-of-access, providing more than 190,000 jobs and $17 billion in revenue for businesses that provide services to port facilities. Other major employers in the Seattle area include Weyerhaeuser, Boeing, and Paccar.

Seattle Public Schools provide education services to Seattle, WA. Major colleges and universities serving Seattle include the University of Washington, the four campuses of Seattle Community College, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, Art Institute of Seattle, and Cornish College of the Arts.

Seattle is located in District 2 for the Washington State Patrol. District 2 generates the most traffic-related activity statewide and officers are acting proactively to reduce the number of accidents involving impaired (DUI) or aggressive drivers. Patrols have been increased in hopes of reducing the number of speed-related collisions and drunk driving accidents on the state route and interstate system.

The State of Washington has four levels of courts: the Supreme Court; the Washington Court of Appeals; the superior courts, and the courts of limited jurisdiction which are district and municipal courts. The three divisions of the Court of Appeals are located in Seattle (Division One), Tacoma (Division Two), and Spokane (Division Three). Each of the state’s 39 counties has a superior court and a district court. Many of Washington’s larger cities and towns have their own municipal courts.

Seattle, located in King County, utilizes the King County Superior Court and the King County District Court (Seattle Division). The City of Seattle utilizes the King County jail and other nearby jails for the Municipal Court of Seattle inmates. The King County Correctional Facility is located at 500 5th Ave., Seattle, WA 98104. The Seattle Justice Center is located at 600 Fifth Avenue, Seattle WA, 98104.

The Seattle & King County's Violence and Injury Prevention Unit focuses on health issues including preventable deaths and personal injuries. King County Medic One and Seattle Fire Medic One play a very important role by providing high quality emergency medical services in Seattle. The mobile emergency medical care pioneered in Seattle has become famous around the world, helping to reduce the number of accidental deaths resulting from serious injuries. Their care has increased the survival rate for serious personal injuries, car accidents, and illnesses.