Washington’s new bike safety law goes into effect Oct. 1
An intuitive new law, the Safety Stop, is coming to Washington October 1st.
Washington Bikes is excited to report the Safety Stop bill (SB 6208). Once it goes into effect this October, people biking will be able to treat a stop sign as a yield.
The legislation has two exemptions that are important to note.
- Stop sign signals on school busses will still require a complete stop.
- Stop signs present at railroad crossings.
Washington’s yield protocol entails:
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- people who bike can recognize a stop sign as a “yield the right away.”
- slowing down to a speed reasonable for road conditions and, if required, to be able to safely come to a stop
- The person operating a bicycle should yield the right of way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another roadway that is close enough to present an immediate hazard
The Safety Stop, often recognized as the Idaho Stop (named for the first state to enact the policy in 1982), earned bipartisan sponsorship and votes as it moved through the Washington Legislature this session. We thank our prime sponsors: Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (3rd LD, Spokane) prime sponsored the Senate bill and Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (34th LD, Burien) prime sponsored the House companion bill.
