WashingtonWashington agencies can mark risky roads for safety work
Washington local governments and the state transportation department may mark crash prevention zones, study safety improvements, and use speed cameras there.
What it does
Local governments and the state transportation department may mark crash prevention zones and study safety improvements. Before 2029, local zones may cover named highway segments; afterward, roads must meet a five-year crash-rate test.
Speeding caught by a camera and personal-device driving violations in these zones can carry doubled fines. Personal-device penalties cannot be reduced or suspended; camera revenue left after program costs must fund safety work in the zone.
Zone decisions and related materials, such as crash data, maps, public comments, and safety studies, cannot be used as evidence in a civil case.
Argument forCrash studies, road improvements, and focused enforcement could help agencies address roads where serious crashes happen more often than expected.
Argument againstDrivers may face doubled fines for some speeding or personal-device violations in these zones; personal-device penalties cannot be reduced or suspended.
More detail
Local governments and the state transportation department may designate crash prevention zones and study safety improvements on roads in those zones. Until January 1, 2029, local governments may designate zones on the highway segments named in the law. Beginning January 1, 2029, local governments may designate roads with more serious-injury or fatal-crash rates than similar roads over the previous five years; the transportation department may do so for state highways. Before establishing a local zone, the local government must hold a public hearing and invite the transportation department's regional administrator. A county needs city or town approval to include its roads in a zone. Local governments need transportation department approval to include state-managed roads; the department may designate a zone on a state highway without local approval. A zone must be dissolved once its safety improvements are in place. Until January 1, 2029, its creator may also dissolve it at its discretion; beginning that date, the legislature may direct its dissolution.
Speeding recorded by traffic cameras and personal-device driving violations in a crash prevention zone can carry doubled penalties. These penalties apply to personal-device driving violations and camera-recorded speeding violations committed in a crash prevention zone. For a personal-device driving violation, the base penalty is doubled and the total penalty, including added assessments, cannot be waived, reduced, or suspended. For camera speeding violations, the fine may be doubled. Camera revenue first covers camera program costs; remaining revenue goes to the zone's local account for investigations, signs, and safety improvements. For personal-device violations in a zone created by the transportation department, half of the collected money goes to the highway safety fund for that zone's safety work.
Zone decisions and related materials cannot be used as evidence in a civil case. This rule applies to civil actions involving crash prevention zones. The exclusion covers zone designation, establishment, investigation, and dissolution, along with related data, reports, maps, comments, studies, and testimony.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 20Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 20Chapter 123, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 20Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Major
- Mar 11President signed.Passed House
- Mar 10Passed final passage; yeas, 48; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 0.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#18). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Senate concurred in House amendments.
- Mar 6Third reading, passed; yeas, 94; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 2.Minor
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#14). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 6Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 6Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
- Mar 4Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Mar 2Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Mar 2TR - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Mar 2Executive action taken in the House Committee on Transportation at 1:00 PM.
- Feb 26Public hearing in the House Committee on Transportation at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 19First reading, referred to Transportation.Minor
- Feb 17Third reading, passed; yeas, 46; nays, 3; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#8). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 17Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 17Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- Feb 172nd substitute bill substituted (TRAN 26).Major
- Feb 12Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 9Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 9Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Feb 9TRAN - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Feb 9Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 4:00 PM.
- Feb 5Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 2Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 4:00 PM.
- Jan 23Referred to Transportation.Minor
- Jan 22And refer to Transportation.Minor
- Jan 22LGV - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Jan 22Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 19Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 15Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 12First reading, referred to Local Government.Minor
- Jan 9Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
TransportationPublic Safety