Washington drivers face new and strengthened laws in 2025 designed to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and others sharing the road without the protection of a vehicle. Whether you’re commuting through Seattle or driving the rural roads of eastern Washington, it’s important to understand who these vulnerable road users are and what your legal responsibilities include.
Who Counts as a Vulnerable Road User?
Anyone using the road who isn’t inside a vehicle is considered a vulnerable road user. This includes pedestrians and people using wheelchairs or mobility devices, cyclists and scooter riders, motorcyclists, moped users, roadside workers, and even horseback riders. Because these individuals lack the protection of a vehicle frame, any collision with them is more likely to result in serious injury. Washington law therefore places a greater responsibility on drivers to exercise caution around them.
A recent surge in collisions involving vulnerable users helped prompt these legislative updates. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, deaths among pedestrians and cyclists more than doubled between 2014 and 2022. The rise in fatalities highlighted the need for stronger laws to protect those most exposed to harm.
New Penalties for Causing Harm
Beginning in 2025, Washington drivers who seriously injure or kill a vulnerable road user due to negligence face significantly tougher consequences. Drivers who cause serious injury may receive a $5,000 fine and a 90-day license suspension, and courts may require up to 100 hours of community service along with mandatory traffic safety courses.
If a fatality occurs, negligent drivers can be charged with a gross misdemeanor. This offense carries a potential sentence of up to 364 days in jail, a $5,000 fine, and a mandatory 90-day suspension of driving privileges. Prior to these changes, many similar incidents resulted in only standard traffic citations. The updated laws are designed to reinforce accountability when careless behavior leads to devastating outcomes.
Safe Passing: Change Lanes or Slow Down
Washington law requires drivers to provide ample space when passing pedestrians, cyclists, or others traveling on the shoulder or edge of the roadway. On multi-lane roads, drivers must move fully into the next lane to pass safely. On two-lane roads, drivers may briefly enter the oncoming lane when clear. If neither option is safe, drivers must slow down significantly and maintain at least 3 feet of clearance.
If visibility is limited, traffic is heavy, or the road curves sharply, drivers must wait. A brief delay is a small price for ensuring the safety of those sharing the roadway.
Right-of-Way Rules Still Apply
Drivers must yield to vulnerable users at all crosswalks and intersections. This includes stopping for pedestrians entering or already in a crosswalk, whether marked or unmarked. It is also illegal to pass vehicles that are stopped at a crosswalk. A pedestrian may be crossing in front of them, even if you cannot see them.
Drivers making right or left turns must yield to pedestrians and cyclists moving straight through the intersection. While these rules aren’t new, enforcement has intensified, especially in areas where vulnerable users are common. Safety officials encourage drivers to treat every intersection as a shared environment.
New Laws with Specific Terms
House Bill 1112, establishes two categories of negligent driving offenses involving vulnerable users:
- RCW 46.61.526 – Negligent Driving in the Second Degree with a Vulnerable User Victim (serious injury)
- RCW 46.61.5259 – Negligent Driving in the First Degree with a Vulnerable User Victim (death)
These classifications elevate driver accountability beyond standard traffic violations by imposing more serious civil and criminal penalties. They reflect Washington’s shift toward prioritizing the safety of those who walk, ride, or use mobility aids.
Common Driver Misconceptions
Some drivers mistakenly believe that bike lanes can be used as passing lanes or that pedestrians should cross only at marked intersections. Others assume that “rolling stops” at stop signs or red lights are harmless. Under the updated laws, any action that leads to harm of a vulnerable user can carry significant consequences.
Drivers may also overlook individuals using wheelchairs or mobility devices, particularly in parking lots, shopping areas, or driveway entrances. These users must be treated with the same caution and respect as any pedestrian.
Looking Ahead
Washington’s updated driving laws in 2025 represent a broader effort to protect those most at risk on the road. As a driver, your attentiveness and caution can prevent life-altering injuries or fatalities. Understanding and following these laws isn’t just about avoiding penalties. It’s about creating safer, more considerate roadways.
Whether traveling through busy downtown corridors or quiet rural stretches, vulnerable road users deserve your full attention. The safest roads are those where everyone, on foot, on wheels, or behind the wheel, gets home safely.
As Washington places greater emphasis on protecting vulnerable road users, driver education plays an important role in prevention. Swerve Driving School focuses on defensive driving, hazard awareness, and situational judgment that help drivers recognize and respond safely to pedestrians, cyclists, and others sharing the road. Professional training can reinforce the habits and awareness needed to comply with these laws and reduce the risk of serious, life-altering incidents.
Learn more about Swerve Driving School: