S-1956               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5149

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators von Reichbauer, Talmadge and Patterson)

Read first time 2/23/89.

AN ACT Relating to student transportation safety; amending RCW 46.61.370; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 36.75 RCW.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 52, chapter 155, Laws of 1965 ex. sess. and RCW 46.61.370 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) The driver of a vehicle upon overtaking or meeting from either direction any school bus which has stopped on the ((highway)) roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children shall stop the vehicle before reaching such school bus when there is in operation on said school bus a visual signal as specified in RCW 46.37.190 and said driver shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion ((or is signaled by the school bus driver to proceed)) or the visual signals are no longer activated.

          (2) Every school bus shall bear upon the front and rear thereof plainly visible signs containing the words "SCHOOL BUS" in letters not less than eight inches in height, and in addition shall be equipped with visual signals meeting the requirements of RCW 46.37.190 which shall be actuated by the driver of said school bus whenever ((but only whenever)) such vehicle is stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children, except:

          (a) When school children do not have to cross a highway and the bus is stopped completely off the main traveled portion of the roadway and the school bus driver has actuated the hazard warning lamps as defined in RCW 46.37.215 before loading or unloading students; or

          (b) When the bus is stopped at an intersection or place where traffic is controlled by a traffic officer or official traffic control signal; or

          (c) When the bus is stopped at school for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children and school children are not required to cross the roadway.

          (3) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway divided into separate roadways as provided in RCW 46.61.150, need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus which is on a separate roadway or when upon a limited access highway and the school bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.

(4) On multiple lane roadways the bus route shall serve each side of the roadway for preschool through grade six students so that the child does not have to cross the roadway, unless there is a traffic signal or adult crossing guard within five hundred feet of the bus stop to assist students while crossing such multiple lane roadways.

(5) For the purposes of this section, "main traveled portion of a roadway" means that portion of a roadway designed for the through movement of vehicular traffic exclusive of sidewalks, shoulders, parking spaces, and public transit and other loading zones; and "multiple-lane roadway" means that portion of a roadway that provides for the two-way movement of vehicular traffic, and at the point a school bus is stopped to receive or discharge students has either a total of three or more adjacent lanes for the through movement of traffic or two lanes for the through movement of traffic separated by a two-way left turn lane.

(6) The driver of a vehicle upon a multiple lane roadway need not stop upon meeting a school bus traveling in the opposite direction that is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children on an oncoming travel lane.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW to read as follows:

          Cities and towns shall designate and mark no parking zones within twenty feet of crosswalks.  Parking shall be prohibited within twenty feet of all intersections involving an arterial street adjacent to a school.  Cities and towns may prohibit parking within twenty feet of other intersections that involve a high risk to school child pedestrian traffic.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 36.75 RCW to read as follows:

          Counties shall designate and mark no parking zones within twenty feet of crosswalks.  Parking shall be prohibited within twenty feet of all intersections involving an arterial street adjacent to a school.  A county may prohibit parking within twenty feet of other intersections that involve a high risk to school child pedestrian traffic.