Washington eyes tougher penalties for 30+ mph speeding
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Washington state lawmakers want to make it easier to criminally charge people who drive more than 30 mph over the speed limit.
Why it matters: Speeding was a factor in roughly one-third of Washington's fatal crashes in 2024, the most recent year of statewide data.
- Those speeding-related crashes killed 250 people statewide that year.
Zoom in: A bill that passed the state Senate this month would make driving at least 30 mph over the speed limit qualify as reckless driving — a criminal offense punishable by jail time and a 30-day driver's license suspension.
- Right now, many such drivers are ticketed but not arrested or charged with a crime.
- Driving 20 mph or more over the limit in a construction zone with workers present would also qualify as reckless driving under the proposal.
What they're saying: "This bill creates accountability for those who are engaged in this reckless behavior on our highways," state Sen. Ron Muzzall (R-Oak Harbor), the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 5890, said during a Senate committee hearing last month.
By the numbers: A driver traveling 55 mph in a 25 mph zone would hit with 4.8 times the force of a car going the speed limit, Mark McKechnie, external relations director for the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, told a state House panel Monday.
- "At that speed, a pedestrian or other vulnerable user has more than a 90% chance of death if struck," McKechnie said.
Yes, but: Under current law, reckless driving requires proof a driver acted in "willful or wanton disregard for safety" — a standard that excessive speeding doesn't automatically meet, according to legislative staff.
State of play: The measure to expand the definition of reckless driving has broad bipartisan support.
- During his State of the State address last month, Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson said he would like to see the bill reach his desk.
What's next: The bill cleared the House Community Safety Committee Tuesday and faces a March 6 deadline for a House floor vote.
- The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn March 12.