| Passed by the Senate February 8, 2012 YEAS 49 ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House March 1, 2012 YEAS 96 ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6112 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Secretary | |
| Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 01/24/12.
AN ACT Relating to the use of alternative traction devices on tires under certain conditions; and amending RCW 46.37.420.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 46.37.420 and 2007 c 140 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) It is unlawful to operate a vehicle upon the public highways of
this state unless it is completely equipped with pneumatic rubber tires
except vehicles equipped with temporary-use spare tires that meet
federal standards that are installed and used in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
(2) No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway may have on its
periphery any block, flange, cleat, or spike or any other protuberance
of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of
the traction surface of the tire, except that it is permissible to use
farm machinery equipped with pneumatic tires or solid rubber tracks
having protuberances that will not injure the highway, and except also
that it is permissible to use tire chains, alternative traction
devices, or metal studs imbedded within the tire of reasonable
proportions and of a type conforming to rules adopted by the state
patrol, upon any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice,
or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid. It is unlawful
to use metal studs imbedded within the tire between April 1st and
November 1st, except that a vehicle may be equipped year-round with
tires that have retractable studs if: (a) The studs retract
pneumatically or mechanically to below the wear bar of the tire when
not in use; and (b) the retractable studs are engaged only between
November 1st and April 1st. Retractable studs may be made of metal or
other material and are not subject to the lightweight stud weight
requirements under RCW 46.04.272. The state department of
transportation may, from time to time, determine additional periods in
which the use of tires with metal studs imbedded therein is lawful.
(3) The state department of transportation and local authorities in
their respective jurisdictions may issue special permits authorizing
the operation upon a highway of traction engines or tractors having
movable tracks with transverse corrugations upon the periphery of the
movable tracks or farm tractors or other farm machinery, the operation
of which upon a highway would otherwise be prohibited under this
section.
(4) Tires with metal studs imbedded therein may be used between
November 1st and April 1st upon school buses and fire department
vehicles, any law or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding.