H-1498              _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4012

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Nelson and Lux

Read first time 2/11/87 and referred to Committee on Transportation.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, Safety on our streets and highways is an issue of great importance to the people of all states; and

          WHEREAS, The visibility of vehicles is an important factor in accident avoidance, for pedestrians and other vehicles alike; and

          WHEREAS, Many states have found that the incidence of collisions between motorcycles and other vehicles has decreased after passage of laws requiring motorcycles to travel at all times with their headlights on; and

          WHEREAS, Traffic engineering studies in Canada, England, Finland, and Sweden have indicated that requiring automobiles to display daytime running lights can significantly reduce the frequency of daytime multiple-vehicle crashes; and

          WHEREAS, Vehicles can be equipped with daytime running lights for relatively little expense, using currently available parts;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the United States Department of Transportation adopt rules requiring new vehicles to be equipped with daytime running lights.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.