Tag: driver license

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Traffic Law Vs. Safe Driving

Here’s a question that came up during a recent discussion about some of Washington’s traffic laws: Is obeying the law enough to make me a safe driver? If not, what is the standard?

A while back I had a conversation with my brother-in-law, a skilled carpenter. We were discussing building codes, and he said that if you build your house to code, you have a substandard house. His point was that code compliance is the bare minimum you can do in construction. There are building techniques that exceed code requirements that make your home stronger, more weather-tight, and capable of lasting many more years.

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Yes, You Need A Driver License

Q: Federal law is the highest law, am I correct? And federal law states it is my God-given right as man to have the freedom of travel in pursuit of happiness without being governed , harassed, taxed or held from freedom of movement. It also states that as long as I’m traveling in my own vehicle that I own, and I’m not making cash profit from it, then a state-issued license is just a requirement made by the state police. It’s not required as long as I’m not harming anyone or committing a crime.

A: Okay . . . Where to start? I’ll begin by saying that I sympathize for any officer that stops this driver and has to endure the ensuing encounter. Admittedly, this question is an outlier, but over the last three years of writing this column I’ve received enough of these kinds of questions to realize that there is a much bigger issue here: When someone misunderstands the law it can have real-life consequences.

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Electric vs. Gas Powered Bicycles

Q: What are the laws on driving a motorized or electric assist bike on the road? Do you need to have a license and insurance?

A: There are actually several different answers, depending on the power source (gas or electric) and the size of the motor. The part about electric assist bikes is the easiest to answer, so let’s start there and work our way up to gas powered bikes. Continue reading “Electric vs. Gas Powered Bicycles”

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Your Future Driver License

Q: I have a question about the legality of carrying a photo or digital copy of your drivers license, instead of carrying the physical card. Will the police accept the digital copy as proof of a valid license, or would you get a citation? It would be convenient to have a copy in the phone!

A: You can’t use digital a digital copy of your driver license yet, but you’re anticipating the near future. Digital ID has been a topic of conversation in licensing agencies across the country for a few years now, and soon several states may offer that option. For now, Washington is not one of those states. Iowa has been testing digital licenses with about 100 department of licensing employees, and the state hopes that the technology will be ready for full-scale adoption this year. In another project, the US Department of Commerce is partnering with Idaho, Maryland, Colorado and Washington, D.C. to launch a pilot for digital driver licenses. Continue reading “Your Future Driver License”

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Passengers and ID

Q: If you are a passenger in a car that has been pulled over for a traffic violation are you required to show your ID to the police?

A: This is a great question that straddles the line between traffic law and broader constitutional law. And the answer is . . . It depends. Before we get to the passenger, though, let’s address the driver. According to RCW 46.61.020, during a traffic stop the driver of the car must provide license, registration and proof of insurance to an officer. And for those who have heard that you can keep your window up and press your ID against the glass, I wouldn’t recommend it. It is unlawful for a driver to refuse an officer’s request to take ID for inspection during a traffic stop. Plus, that’s a classic impaired driver move, so it’ll definitely make the officer suspicious. Continue reading “Passengers and ID”