GHSA maintains data on state laws surrounding a number of highway safety issues. Below is information regarding laws in the state of Washington. For more information, consult the State Highway Safety Office.
Universal helmet law enacted 1990.
6 or 8 years
70 and over: no electronic renewal
Per se >0 for some drugs
Decriminalized and legal for recreational and medical use
THC per se (5 ng)
70
60
60
60
60
60
0.15
90 days
With an ignition interlock driver's license
Mandatory for all convictions
yes
No
4’9” or taller
Adult seat belt fits properly
40 lbs or over in seating position with only lap belt
Under 2 years – rear-facing child restraint
2 to 4 years – child restraint with harness (rear or forward-facing)
4 years and older – car or booster seat until 4’9”
Up to age 13 years – must ride in back seat when practical
18 years
15 15 / 6 without driver's ed.
6
50 (10)
16
1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement)
First 6 months: no passengers under 20 Remainder: no more than 3 passengers under 20 (secondary enforcement)
Primary
Over 16 or over 4'9"
All
Yes. Primary law.
No
Drivers with learner or intermediate license. Primary law.
All drivers. Primary law.
Statewide; at intersections of two arterials
Permitted by state law
School speed zones, school walk routes, park zones, hospital zones, highway work zones, one camera per 10,000 residents in priority areas such as areas with higher rates or collisions or areas designated as problem racing zones
Permitted by state law and city ordinance
A newly released revamp of Washington State’s Target Zero road safety plan offers policymakers a potential blueprint for reversing the recent trend of increasing traffic fatalities and serious injuries. At the top of the list is a push to reduce the state’s blood-alcohol content threshold for a driving under the influence (DUI) citation from 0.08% to 0.05%, a standard that is becoming the norm around the world.
Washington State reached a record number of traffic fatalities in 2022, with 750 people killed. Distracted driving was responsible for 13% of those deaths. 100 people statewide are killed each year because someone made the unsafe, dangerous decision not to focus on the road.
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission has announced a partnership with Cambridge Mobile Telematics and Michelin Mobility Intelligence to utilize large-scale telematics data aimed at assessing and improving roadway safety across the state. This collaboration employs data collected via mobile phone applications and vehicle equipment to analyze risky driving behaviors without identifying individual drivers.
October 23, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2024
CONTACT: Adam Snider (GHSA), 202-580-7930, 202-365-8971 (after hours)
David Finleyson (Michelin)
New data will give states a better picture of current roadway safety problems and how to address them
GHSA has partnered with Michelin Mobility Intelligence to provide $300,000 in competitive grants to three states – California, Minnesota and Washington – for advanced traffic safety data collection and analysis that can help make roads safer.
The US Governors Highway Safety Association has awarded two grants - of $87,500 each - to help reduce distracted driving in the District of Columbia and Washington state. Partnering with General Motors (GM), GHSA is awarding the money to the state highway safety office in DC and Washington to create and evaluate local distracted driving prevention programmes. Last year, the organisations awarded $210,000 in grants to seven SHSOs.
GHSA and General Motors (GM) are advancing their work together to end the persistent and deadly problem of distracted driving by supporting innovative new ways to address this dangerous behavior. GHSA is awarding two grants to create and evaluate local distracted driving prevention programs in the District of Columbia and Washington state. A third grant is supporting youth journalists in diverse and underserved communities who will highlight how distracted driving endangers everyone on the road.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2023
Contact: Adam Snider, 202-580-7930, 202-365-8971 (after hours)
Grants will support multidisciplinary local prevention programs and youth journalists highlighting the impacts of this dangerous driver behavior
States that have laws to govern when ignition interlock devices may be removed from drunk driving offenders’ vehicles have significantly lower rates of repeat driving under the influence (DUI) offenses than states which do not. Those are the main findings of a new study recently released by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a nonprofit organization representing state highway safety offices, that addressed measures to help reduce the number of drunk driving repeat incidents.
New research suggests state laws that prohibit drivers from holding a cell phone under any circumstance appear to be effective in reducing rear-end crashes.
