H-4546              _______________________________________________

                                          SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1534

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Doty, Lundquist, Zellinsky, Schmidt and Lewis)

Read first time 2/7/86 and passed to Committee on Rules.

AN ACT Relating to riding in trailers; amending RCW 46.61.625; and adding a new section to chapter 46.04 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 46.04 RCW to read as follows:

          "Travel trailer" means a vehicle designed for human habitation and without motive power that does not require an oversized permit when being drawn by a motor vehicle upon the public highways.

        Sec. 2.  Section 73, chapter 155, Laws of 1965 ex. sess. and RCW 46.61.625 are each amended to read as follows:

          No person or persons shall occupy ((any)) a trailer while it is being moved upon a public highway, except ((a)) when the person is:

(1) Occupying a proper position for steering a trailer designed to be steered from a rear-end position,

(2) Riding in a travel trailer that is connected to a towing unit with a fifth-wheel coupling device if the trailer is equipped with:

(a) Safety glazing materials as defined in RCW 46.37.430, in all window and door glass;

(b) An auditory signaling device for communication between the fifth-wheel connected trailer and the towing unit; and

(c) At least one unobstructed exit capable of being opened from both the interior and exterior of the vehicle.

It is unlawful for any person to tow a fifth-wheel travel trailer in which (i) a child under the age of five is riding unless the child is secured in a child restraint system in compliance with RCW 46.61.687, and (ii) a child under the age of twelve is riding unless the child is accompanied by a person sixteen years of age or older.

A fifth-wheel for a travel trailer is a coupling device that is secured to the frame of a towing unit and mounted in such a manner to ensure proper distribution of the gross weight of the towed trailer on the front and rear axles of the towing unit.  The king pin on the trailer shall be permanently attached.  The fifth-wheel locking device shall apply automatically upon coupling of the king pin with the fifth-wheel.  Every fifth-wheel assembly shall be equipped with a locking mechanism that prevents separation of the lower half and king pin unless a positive manual release is activated.