Author: DOUG DAHL

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Green Boxes and Traffic Tickets

Q: Is it illegal for a car to stop in a green bike box and how much is the fine?

A: With bike boxes being a recent addition to our local roads, it’s fair to wonder if there is a specific law prohibiting drivers from stopping in the green box. You won’t find a state law about bike boxes in particular, but that’s because we already have a few laws that apply. RCW 46.61.050 states that “The driver of any vehicle, every bicyclist, and every pedestrian shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device.” Continue reading “Green Boxes and Traffic Tickets”

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Protecting Vulnerable Road Users

Last week I mentioned a law designed to protect vulnerable road users. This law is titled, “Negligent driving – Second degree – Vulnerable user victim”. A mouthful, I know. The title of the law also brings up two important questions: What is negligence? And what is a vulnerable user?

Let’s start with negligence. If you act in a way that creates a potential risk, and pretty much every other human recognizes that it’s a risk, but you’re oblivious to the risk, that’s negligence. It is, according to traffic law, a “failure to exercise ordinary care”. When we look at negligent driving in Washington traffic laws there is an additional component. Negligent driving requires that a person “operate a motor vehicle in a manner that is both negligent” (that seems obvious given the topic) “and endangers or is likely to endanger any person.” You’ll find this language in all three variations of the negligent driving laws. Continue reading “Protecting Vulnerable Road Users”

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Funny, Effective, Inappropriate?

Maybe these traffic safety signs push the boundaries of appropriateness a bit, but they are clever. These PSAs come from Australia, so I guess it’s more acceptable there. (Insert giant assumption here.) I have yet to see a traffic safety message locally that uses name-calling to try to change behavior.

Are they effective? It’s hard to measure the effectiveness of PSAs, but there are some general guidelines for how to change behavior. Instead of telling people what they shouldn’t do, effective behavior change is most likely to happen by encouraging people to do the right thing. (I’m thinking of you, “Don’t do drugs” campaigns.) Continue reading “Funny, Effective, Inappropriate?”

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Bikes in Crosswalks

Q: When I approach a pedestrian crosswalk and someone is sitting on their bicycle with the intent to ride it across (as opposed to walking it), am I required to stop?

A: Basically, yes. The law requires drivers to treat cyclists in a crosswalk the same way they do pedestrians. RCW 46.61.235 groups the terms “pedestrian” and “bicycle” together, making it abundantly clear that any requirements that apply to drivers stopping for crosswalk occupants include people on feet and on bikes. Continue reading “Bikes in Crosswalks”

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Sex and Intoxication

Sex and intoxication. Did that get your attention? If so, this article is probably not what you think it is. We’re focusing on the less salacious but still very important issue of a person’s biological sex as a significant factor in alcohol impairment; a big deal when it comes to impaired driving. Rather than responding to a single question, this article is prompted by conversations I’ve had with people about impairment levels and driving. Continue reading “Sex and Intoxication”

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Driving From Private Property to Public Roads

Q: If I leave a parking lot that is private property and a sign on the property says right turn only, can I get cited for make a left turn, even if there is no oncoming traffic?

A: Yes, but I think I understand where you’re coming from. Outside of a few criminal violations like DUI and reckless driving, traffic laws are not usually enforced on private property. There are a few exceptions, which I covered in a previous Road Rules article. However, it’s a little different when the private property meets the public roadway. At a minimum, the law requires drivers coming from a private road or driveway to yield to traffic on the public road. Continue reading “Driving From Private Property to Public Roads”

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Brake Checking – Dumb and Dangerous

Q: I am seeing more and more brake checking going on. People doing the brake checking feel they wont be responsible at all if they get rear ended. That’s usually the case, but when you brake check aren’t you also an aggressive driver at that point?

A: For those who are not familiar with the term “brake check”, I’ll start by explaining it. In this scenario, it’s not the regular inspection of one of the critical safety system in your car. Instead, we’re discussing a driver who tries to dissuade a tailgater by slamming on the brakes. Continue reading “Brake Checking – Dumb and Dangerous”

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Watch Out In The Intersection

Today’s PSA is actually just an excerpt of a longer PSA from the city of Spokane. (Click here for the full version)  This PSA is the typical local traffic safety video: footage of the local community, a pleasant narrator, an educational message, and simple production. The cheerful narrator led me to believe this would be a bunch of happy shots of people successfully crossing the road. I was wrong. Here’s eleven seconds to prove it:

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Slow Scooter on a Fast Road

Q: The speed limit on Mount Baker Highway is 55 mph. Often in the mornings I am stuck behind a person driving a scooter with a max speed of 40. Sometimes they drive on the shoulder, more times they drive in the lane. This creates an unsafe environment as speeding trucks and cars quickly approach and have to slam on their breaks to avoid a collision. Are scooters allowed on Mount Baker Highway?

A: I agree with you about the danger of slow-moving vehicles on high speed limit roadways. Speed differential (the difference between the speeds of vehicles traveling on the same section of roadway) creates all kinds of mayhem. Continue reading “Slow Scooter on a Fast Road”

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Planes vs. Cars – What Can We Learn?

Q: I’ve read that the fatality rate per mile traveled on a commercial plane is much lower than it is when traveling by car. Are there things we could learn from the airlines on how to make our roads safer?

A: There are numerous resources comparing commercial airline safety with driving, and every one of them reaches the same conclusion you stated in your question: Commercial flight is safe. Really safe. In the last seven years no one has died on a US-certificated scheduled commercial airline. Looking back, in 1924, at the dawn of the commercial flight era, airline fatalities were at one death for every 13,500 miles traveled (or 7407 deaths per 100 million miles). In 1960, commercial airlines had a fatality rate of 44 deaths per 100 million miles. In 2015 US airlines flew 7.6 billion miles with a total of, you guessed it, no fatalities. Continue reading “Planes vs. Cars – What Can We Learn?”