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If you drive through cities like Seattle, you might find yourself thinking it has more stop signs and stop lights than it does trees. Whether or not that’s true is a different question entirely. But the point is there are an incredible number of stop signs in Washington State.
So, it should be no surprise when we say that red light and stop sign tickets are among the most common citations issued each year. Fortunately, there are a few ways to get around them.
Stop Sign Laws in Washington State
Washington’s stop sign laws (codified in the Revised Code of Washington §46.61.190) are similar to those of other states. That means you have to come to stop your vehicle at the stop sign before continuing on. “Rolling stops,” when you slow down but your speedometer never reaches zero, do not count and you can still receive a ticket.
To satisfy the law, your vehicle must come to a full and complete stop. You must also yield the right of way to any and all other people who rightfully deserve it. Pedestrians using a crosswalk are just one example of people who might have the right of way. To better understand how these laws work, let’s look at a few common questions you might have:
- Do cyclists have to stop at stop signs?
Yes, cyclists do have to stop at stop signs. In many states, bicycles are held to many of the same laws as motor vehicles. This is despite the fact that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that bicycles (even electric, motorized bicycles) are not motor vehicles (Gabriel Asulin Estate v Walid Darwish, 12 October, 2020).
- Who has the right of way at crosswalks?
Pedestrians who are either using crosswalks in accordance with the law or who are waiting to do so have the right of way. This is true at any marked crosswalk and at intersections that display lighted signals telling pedestrians to walk.
In some cases, pedestrians might even have the right of way when attempting to jaywalk (crossing the street when not at a crosswalk). This depends on the circumstances. In either case, always be vigilant and avoid colliding with pedestrians.
- Who has the right of way when multiple vehicles are at the intersection?
If another vehicle is already lawfully using the intersection, then that vehicle has the right of way. Yield to them. If another vehicle arrives at the intersection before you, then that vehicle has the right of way. If another vehicle arrives at the intersection at the same exact time as you, then determining who has the right of way can be a little more complicated.
If the other driver is in oncoming traffic (directly opposite you), then whoever is turning across traffic has the right of way. If you’re both going straight, you both have the right of way. If you’re both turning left, proceed with caution.
How Long Do You Have To Stop at a Stop Sign?
When stopping at a stop sign in Washington State, the law requires you do more than just stop. You also need to yield the right of way to whoever it belongs to and to avoid any hazards. That being said, there is no officially mandated “stop timer” or anything like that in the state. As long as your speedometer reads zero, you have the right of way, and proceeding would not create a hazard to yourself or other drivers, you should be good to go.
Where Is One Required To Stop?
This question is not as simple as you might think. Let’s break it down by taking a look at three of the most common stop sign situations: marked intersections, crosswalks, and limit lines.
First up, we have marked intersections. A marked intersection is any intersection that has clear and visible markings. A stop sign is often accompanied by such markings as the word “STOP” emblazoned in giant capital letters across the lane. At such locations, you’ll need to stop before reaching the stop sign and before entering the intersection.
Stopping about one car length before the intersection or one car length before the stop sign (whichever comes first) is generally a good idea.
Next, we have crosswalks. When we say crosswalks, we’re not just referring to marked crosswalks. We all know that crosswalks feature painted lines across the road, indicating that pedestrians have the right of way. But that’s not always the case. There are also unmarked crosswalks, which are any place where there could be a crosswalk but the pavement features no painted lines or other crosswalk markings.
Such roadway features are most commonly seen in residential areas. They can be recognized by their hallmark design of sidewalks that open out into the street at an intersection.
In both marked and unmarked crosswalks, you must stop and yield the right of way to pedestrians who are using those crosswalks or waiting to use them. Be sure to stop at least one car length away from the crosswalk. However, if the crosswalk is across the intersection from you, stop before entering the intersection so as not to disrupt traffic.
Last but not least, we have limit lines. These are probably the locations with the most obvious stop line. The place to stop is a literal stop line: a long, white line that runs perpendicular to the road, extending out from the stop sign’s base. When you encounter such a thing, called a limit line, stop about one car length before reaching the line.
What Is a Flashing Red Light?
You’re probably used to seeing solid red, yellow, and green stop lights. Well, there are also flashing red stop lights on the roads in Washington State and you’ll need to know how to obey them in order to avoid getting a ticket. For all intents and purposes, a flashing red light is a stop sign. They should be treated the same way, since they follow the same laws as stop signs.
Here is a quick tidbit about each of the three main traffic control devices for stopping vehicles in the state of Washington:
- Solid red stop lights mean that you should stop and wait until the light turns green. Then you can proceed.
- Flashing red stop lights mean that you should stop and wait until you have the right of way. Then you can proceed.
- Stop signs mean that you should stop and wait until you have the right of way. Notice that this is identical to the law for flashing red stop lights.
Fines for Stop Sign Violations in Washington State
Traffic tickets in Washington State have some of the lowest fines in the country. Unfortunately, fines aren’t all you have to worry about. You’ll also have to pay applicable fees (like court fees and potential surcharges), among other things.
In all cases, the only people who have to pay these penalties are those people who are found guilty of the violation. That means that fighting your ticket in court and being found not guilty is guaranteed to, for example, prevent you from having to pay the ticket’s fine.
Let’s start by talking about the fines fees associated with stop sign tickets in Washington State. You can expect to pay around $48 in direct fines, but that number can quickly increase depending on any other fees associated with your conviction. For example, if you committed the stop sign violation as part of a DUI violation, the financial penalties can be much higher.
Of course, those fines pale in comparison to the cost of increased insurance premiums. After a conviction, people tend to see their insurance premiums increase by about 22.7% for similar violations.
What might be most surprising for some people, however, is this: If you are caught committing multiple violations at onces, your stop sign violation charge might be upgraded to a reckless driving charge. Reckless driving is a criminal misdemeanor punishable by up to $5,000 in fines, a 30-day suspension of your driving privileges, and one year in jail.
How Long Do You Have To Pay a Stop Sign Ticket?
Washington State’s traffic courts permit you 30 days to either convince a judge to dismiss your ticket or to pay it in full. This applies to the majority of traffic violations in the state. Be sure to pay your ticket within that time period (unless your lawyer recommends otherwise) in order to avoid being charged with Failure to Pay.
Failure to Pay is a separate charge with separate penalties. This charge applies whenever you neglect to pay your traffic ticket’s balance within that 30-day period. Just like other charges, of course, you can take this one to court.
Hire an Attorney To Fight Your Ticket or Pay Through appwinit.com
Traffic tickets might seem like the end of the world, especially after reading about the steep and significant penalties that you can face if you’re convicted. However, there’s plenty that you can do to avoid those penalties after the fact. The road to financial freedom begins with WinIt.
Head over to appwinit.com or download the WinIt app today to get started fighting your ticket. If you’d rather just accept all the penalties associated with the ticket, you can still use WinIt’s ticket payment portal to pay your ticket in a convenient, safe, and easy way. But why pay for a ticket when you don’t have to?
With help from expert traffic ticket attorneys on the WinIt app, you can potentially take your case to court and win it. Download the app or visit appwinit.com for more information.
