Brief Description: Implementing rules for drivers when approaching stationary emergency, roadside assistance, and police vehicles on highways having less than four lanes.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Honeyford and Kline).

Senate Committee on Transportation
House Committee on Transportation

Background: Current law requires that on highways with at least four lanes, two lanes of which are for traffic traveling in a single direction, drivers approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with a siren or flashing lights must proceed with caution, and if reasonable, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change or moving away from the emergency vehicle. If changing lanes would be unreasonable or unsafe, the driver must proceed with caution and reduce speed.

Current law requires that vehicles be driven on the right side of the roadway, except under specified circumstances such as when passing or on a one-way roadway. No vehicle may pass on the left side of the roadway unless authorized by statute, provided however, that the left side of the roadway must be free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance for the overtaking vehicle to pass without interfering with other vehicles or coming within 200 feet of approaching traffic.

Summary: Tow trucks and roadside assistance vehicles are added to the list of stationary emergency vehicles to which drivers must yield on approach; drivers must proceed with caution, reduce speed, and if reasonable and safe, yield the right-of-way by passing to the left. The requirement for drivers to yield to stationary emergency or roadside assistance vehicles is expanded to highways with fewer than four lanes. The circumstances under which a vehicle may be driven on the left side of a roadway is expanded to include when approaching stationary emergency or roadside assistance vehicles.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      49   0
House      97   0

Effective:   July 22, 2007