H-0539.2  _______________________________________________

 

                          HOUSE BILL 1971

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

 

By Representatives D. Sommers, Wood, Benson, Schindler and Gombosky

 

Read first time 02/12/1999.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Enhancing traffic safety.


    AN ACT Relating to traffic safety; and amending RCW 43.59.150 and 46.52.070.

 

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

 

    Sec. 1.  RCW 43.59.150 and 1998 c 165 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The Washington state traffic safety commission shall establish a program for improving bicycle and pedestrian safety, and shall cooperate with the stakeholders and independent representatives to form an advisory committee to develop programs and create public private partnerships which promote bicycle and pedestrian safety.  The traffic safety commission shall periodically report ((and make recommendations)) to the legislative transportation committee ((and the fiscal committees of the house of representatives and the senate by December 1, 1998, regarding the conclusions of the advisory)) on the progress of the bicycle and pedestrian safety committee.

    (2) The bicycle and pedestrian safety account is created in the state treasury to support bicycle and pedestrian education programs.  ((To the extent that private contributions are received by the traffic safety commission for the purposes of bicycle and pedestrian safety programs established under this section, the appropriations from the highway safety account for this purpose shall lapse.))

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 46.52.070 and 1998 c 165 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Any police officer of the state of Washington or of any county, city, town or other political subdivision, present at the scene of any accident or in possession of any facts concerning any accident whether by way of official investigation or otherwise shall make report thereof in the same manner as required of the parties to such accident and as fully as the facts in his possession concerning such accident will permit.

    (2) The police officer shall report to the department, on a form prescribed by the director:  (a) When ((an accident)) a collision has occurred that results in a fatality ((or serious injury)); and (b) the identity of the operator of a vehicle involved in the ((accident)) collision when the officer has reasonable grounds to believe the operator ((who)) caused the ((fatality or serious injury may not be competent to operate a motor vehicle; and (c) the reason or reasons for such belief)) collision.

    (3) The police officer shall report to the department, on a form prescribed by the director:  (a) When a collision has occurred that results in a serious injury; (b) the identity of the operator of a vehicle involved in the collision when the officer has reasonable grounds to believe the operator who caused the serious injury may not be competent to operate a motor vehicle; and (c) the reason or reasons for the officer's belief.

 


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