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Driving in Washington
The rules foreign visitors most often get wrong — with the official source for every fact. Always verify directly before you drive.
Washington's rental geography is dominated by Seattle (SEA airport) and the I-5 corridor between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. The mountain Cascades split the state east–west; east of the Cascades (Yakima, Spokane) is dry continental climate, west of them is the Pacific marine climate. I-90 carries the main east–west traffic over Snoqualmie Pass; US-101 hugs the Olympic Peninsula.
Washington was an early adopter of E-DUI (handheld phone ban while driving) — RCW §46.61.672 applies to all drivers in all situations. The fine is non-trivial and the law explicitly covers being stopped at red lights and in stop-and-go traffic.
Studded tyres are permitted only November 1 – April 1 by state law; outside that window they are illegal regardless of weather.
The headline rule
No right-on-red from a left-most lane on a one-way street to another one-way street
Washington added a quirk in 2021: at one-way intersections in Seattle (especially Capitol Hill, Belltown), some intersections post NO TURN ON RED. The default state law still permits right-on-red from any lane after a stop where physically possible (including left-on-red from a one-way to a one-way), but city-specific signs override. Read the signage; the small NO TURN ON RED plates are easy to miss.
Key rules
- Max rural interstate speed
- 70 mph[1]
Statutory; designated rural segments may allow up to 75 under RCW 46.61.410
- Right turn on red
- Permitted after full stop (unless signed otherwise)[1]
- Seatbelt enforcement (front)
- Primary enforcement[2](as of 2002-01-13)
- Handheld phone
- Banned for all drivers[3]
- Texting while driving
- Banned[3]
- Min liability — bodily injury per person
- $25,000[4]
- Min liability — bodily injury per accident
- $50,000[4]
- Min liability — property damage
- $10,000[4]
- Motorcycle helmet
- Required for all riders[5]
- Move-over law
- Yes — required to move over / slow for emergency vehicles[6]
- Studded tires
- Allowed seasonally (see notes)[7]
RCW §46.37.420 — Nov 1 – Apr 1
- Marijuana in vehicle
- Open container / consumption in vehicle illegal[8]
Transport in trunk or sealed container; consumption in vehicle illegal per RCW 46.61.745
Famous driving routes in Washington
- I-90 Snoqualmie Pass
Main Seattle–Spokane crossing; winter traction laws apply.
- US-101 Olympic Peninsula loop
Rainforest + rugged coast; 530 km loop from Seattle.
- WA-20 North Cascades Highway
Highest pass in Washington; closed Nov–Apr.
- Mount Rainier Stevens Canyon Road
WA-410 to WA-123; open mid-July through October.
- Columbia River Scenic Highway (WA-14)
Parallels Oregon's more famous I-84; less crowded.
Tips for foreign visitors
- Ferries: Washington State Ferries operate Seattle to Bainbridge Island, Kingston, Edmonds–Kingston, and other routes. Reserve in summer; cars line up early.
- Border crossing to BC: Peace Arch / Pacific Highway at Blaine; NEXUS lane for trusted travellers.
- Winter traction: I-90 Snoqualmie Pass and US-2 Stevens Pass routinely require chains; mountain passes can close on short notice.
- Speed cameras: limited automated enforcement, mostly red-light cameras in school zones.
Tolls in Washington
Washington toll facilities: SR 99 (Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel in Seattle), SR 167 + I-405 express lanes, Tacoma Narrows Bridge (eastbound), SR 520 floating bridge. All electronic tolling via Good to Go!; rental cars handle via the rental pass programme.
Primary resources for Washington
Sources
Every claim above links to its numbered source here. If a link is broken, or you believe a fact is outdated, please let us know.
- [1]RCW §46.61.400 — Basic Rule and Max Limits (70 mph statutory) — WA Legislature · accessed 2026-04-23
- [2]RCW §46.61.688 — Seatbelts (primary enforcement) — WA Legislature · accessed 2026-04-23
- [3]RCW §46.61.672 — E-DUI (all drivers handheld ban) — WA Legislature · accessed 2026-04-23
- [4]WA OIC — Mandatory Auto/Motorcycle Insurance Law — WA OIC · accessed 2026-04-23
- [5]RCW §46.37.530 — Motorcycle Helmet (all riders) — WA Legislature · accessed 2026-04-23
- [6]NHTSA — Move Over, It's the Law — NHTSA · accessed 2026-04-23
- [7]RCW §46.37.420 — Studded Tires (Nov 1–Apr 1) — WA Legislature · accessed 2026-04-23
- [8]RCW §46.61.745 — Open Container: Marijuana — WA Legislature · accessed 2026-04-23