_______________________________________________
ENGROSSED
HOUSE BILL 1107
_______________________________________________
AS
AMENDED BY THE SENATE
Passed
Legislature - 1993 Regular Session
State
of Washington 53rd Legislature 1993 Regular Session
By
Read
first time 01/15/93. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
Requiring yielding right of way to buses.
AN
ACT Relating to right of way for transit vehicles; amending RCW 46.37.190;
adding a new section to chapter 46.61 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1.
A new section is added to chapter 46.61 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to a transit vehicle
traveling in the same direction that has signalled and is reentering the
traffic flow.
(2)
Nothing in this section shall operate to relieve the driver of a transit
vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons
using the roadway.
Sec.
2.
RCW 46.37.190 and 1987 c 330 s 710 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
Every authorized emergency vehicle shall, in addition to any other equipment
and distinctive marking required by this chapter, be equipped with at least one
lamp capable of displaying a red light visible from at least five hundred feet
in normal sunlight and a siren capable of giving an audible signal.
(2)
Every school bus and private carrier bus shall, in addition to any other
equipment and distinctive markings required by this chapter, be equipped with a
"stop" signal upon a background not less than fourteen by eighteen
inches displaying the word "stop" in letters of distinctly
contrasting colors not less than eight inches high, and shall further be equipped
with signal lamps mounted as high and as widely spaced laterally as
practicable, which shall be capable of displaying to the front two alternately
flashing red lights located at the same level and to the rear two alternately
flashing red lights located at the same level and these lights shall have
sufficient intensity to be visible at five hundred feet in normal sunlight.
(3)
Vehicles operated by public agencies whose law enforcement duties include the
authority to stop and detain motor vehicles on the public highways of the state
may be equipped with a siren and lights of a color and type designated by the
state patrol for that purpose. The state patrol may prohibit the use of these
sirens and lights on vehicles other than the vehicles described in this
subsection.
(4)
The lights described in this section shall not be mounted nor used on any
vehicle other than a school bus, a private carrier bus, or an authorized
emergency or law enforcement vehicle. Optical strobe light devices shall not
be installed or used on any vehicle other than an emergency vehicle authorized
by the state patrol ((or)), a publicly((-))owned law
enforcement or emergency vehicle, a department of transportation, city, or
county maintenance vehicle, or a public transit vehicle.
(a)
An "optical strobe light device" used by emergency vehicles
means a strobe light device which emits an optical signal at a specific
frequency to a traffic control light enabling the emergency vehicle in
which the strobe light device is used to obtain the right of way at intersections.
(b)
An "optical strobe light device" used by department of
transportation, city, or county maintenance vehicles means a strobe light
device that emits an optical signal at a specific frequency to a traffic
control light enabling the department of transportation maintenance vehicle in
which the strobe light device is used to perform maintenance tests.
(c)
An "optical strobe light device" used by public transit vehicles
means a strobe light device that emits an optical signal at a specific frequency
to a traffic control light enabling the public transit vehicle in which the
strobe light device is used to accelerate the cycle of the traffic control
light. For the purposes of this section, "public transit vehicle"
means vehicles, owned by a governmental entity, with a seating capacity for
twenty-five or more persons and used to provide mass transportation. Public
transit vehicles operating an optical strobe light will have second degree
priority to emergency vehicles when simultaneously approaching the same traffic
control light.
(5)
The use of the signal equipment described herein, except the optical strobe
light devices used by public transit vehicles and department of transportation,
city, or county maintenance vehicles that are not used in conjunction with
emergency equipment, shall impose upon drivers of other vehicles the
obligation to yield right of way and stop as prescribed in RCW 46.61.210,
46.61.370, and 46.61.350.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3.
The state patrol shall adopt rules to implement RCW 46.37.190.
Passed the House April 20, 1993.
Passed the Senate April 12, 1993.
Approved by the
Governor May 15, 1993.
Filed
in Office of Secretary of State May 15, 1993.
