Month: October 2019

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What’s the Point of Fenders if They Don’t Cover Your Tires?

Q: Is anything being done about trucks with tires that stick out past their fenders? I’m pretty sure that’s not legal. Why are people allowed to do that?

A: It’s not that the law allows people to drive around with tires that project past their fenders; it’s that some people chose to do it anyway. Washington law is clear about the need for fenders and mud flaps. There are actually two laws that address the issue. The Revised Code of Washington states that, “no person may operate any motor vehicle . . . that is not equipped with fenders, covers, flaps or splash aprons . . .” It goes on to state that fenders and mud flaps must be as wide as the tires and extend to at least the center of the axle.

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World Day of Remembrance 2019

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is commemorated to remember the many people killed and injured on our roads, together with their families, friends and many others who are also affected.  It is also a day on which we thank the emergency services and reflect on the tremendous burden and cost of this daily continuing disaster to families and communities, and on ways to halt it. Our remembrance ceremony will include stories from emergency responders and a family member of a victim of a traffic crash, along with a memorial walk to honor the victims of traffic crashes in Whatcom County.

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Stopping To Be Nice or Stopping To Be Safe (Is It The Same?)

Q: I have seen drivers stop at an “unlighted” cross walk and direct pedestrians standing on the curb to cross in front of them, oblivious of the cars behind them or along side of them (In my opinion, creating a deadly hazard). Is the driver acting safely and shouldn’t the pedestrians wave the driver to pass?

A: I’ve been a pedestrian for most of my life (an obvious statement), but in the last year I’ve experienced a new pedestrian phenomenon I’ll call “the stroller exception.” About a year ago I became a grandfather, and now on frequent occasions I get to go on walks with my granddaughter, pushing her in her stroller. Often when we are headed toward a crosswalk a driver will stop for us even if the driver doesn’t have a stop sign and we aren’t even close to the edge of the road yet. That’s an experience I don’t get when I’m walking by myself.

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DUI Checkpoints In Washington

Q: I know some other states, as well as British Columbia, use DUI checkpoints to catch drunk drivers. I’ve never seen them in Washington. Why not?

A: The answer you’ll most often hear as to why Washington doesn’t use DUI checkpoints (also called sobriety checkpoints) is that they’re unconstitutional. And that’s almost true. However, that’s not the whole story. I should first clarify that when we talk about DUI checkpoints being unconstitutional, we’re referring to the Washington State constitution. The US constitution doesn’t prohibit DUI checkpoints, unless you’re in Texas, where they prohibit checkpoints based on their interpretation of the US constitution. Some states have laws authorizing the use of DUI checkpoints, while others have no explicit statutory authority either endorsing or prohibiting them. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia use DUI checkpoints.

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