The bill establishes a framework for creating accident risk zones on public roads in Washington State, allowing counties, cities, and towns, as well as the Department of Transportation, to designate areas with a high frequency of accidents. Before finalizing an accident risk zone, a public hearing must be held to gather community input. Once established, the jurisdiction must conduct an engineering and traffic investigation to identify necessary safety improvements, including potential adjustments to speed limits. Increased enforcement of traffic laws will be coordinated by the Washington State Patrol and local law enforcement to mitigate accident risks.

Additionally, the bill prescribes penalties for traffic infractions within these zones, doubling the fines for violations related to speed restrictions or vehicle collisions, provided that appropriate signage is posted. Half of the collected penalties will be allocated to a dedicated account for funding safety improvements and law enforcement presence in the accident risk zone. The bill also amends existing law to authorize counties and cities to establish these zones in accordance with the new provisions.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 36.89.030