Washington · Handbook chapter 7 · 7 min read

Chapter 7: Traffic laws, signals, signs and road markings

Washington traffic laws and traffic control: keeping right, broken signals, every traffic light and arrow, ramp meters, sign colors, common signs, traffic cameras, lane lines, medians, center turn lanes, HOV, reversible and toll lanes, crosswalks, bike lanes, sharrows and bike boxes.

Why this chapter matters

Signals, signs and lines make up a large share of any permit test. Washington has a few rules of its own, such as left turns on red onto one-way streets and the 300-foot limit in center turn lanes, so read this chapter closely.

General rules

• Drive on the right. Use the left side only to pass legally on a two-lane road.
• On multilane roads, keep right except to pass, and obey the speed limit even while passing.
• Carpool lanes are not passing lanes. Do not pass on the shoulder unless officials or signs direct you.
• Never back up on a shoulder or freeway, even if you miss your exit.
• It is illegal to hitchhike or pick up hitchhikers on Washington freeways.
• Police, construction and maintenance workers and school crossing guards can direct traffic, and their directions overrule signals.
• If a traffic signal is not working, treat the intersection as a four-way stop: stop completely, yield to traffic on your right, and go carefully.

Traffic lights

A flashing green light is not used in Washington, though you may see one in British Columbia, where it warns that pedestrians are waiting to cross.

Ramp meters on freeway on-ramps work like signals: on red, stop at the white stop line; on green, go.

Sign colors

Common signs

• STOP: stop at the line, crosswalk or corner, look in all directions and yield.
• YIELD: slow down and let traffic with the right-of-way go first.
• Speed limit: the most you may drive in ideal conditions. You can be ticketed for driving too fast for conditions even below the posted limit. Some roads also post a minimum speed.
• Speed warning (advisory) signs show a safer speed for a curve or turn.
• Variable speed limit signs change the limit to smooth traffic and can close lanes ahead of slow traffic.
• ONE WAY: traffic flows only in the arrow's direction.
• A red circle with a slash over a symbol means that action, such as a left turn or U-turn, is not allowed.
• DO NOT ENTER: you may not enter the road from your direction.
• WRONG WAY: you are going the wrong direction. Stop and turn around immediately.
• Shared center lane left turn only: a center lane for left turns from either direction, not for through travel or passing.
• Work zone signs are orange. You must yield to workers, vehicles with flashing yellow lights and equipment in a work zone, and fines double when workers are present.
• Service signs (blue) show hospitals, EV charging and rest areas. Recreation signs (brown) show trails and parks. Destination signs (green) show directions and distances.

Automated cameras can record drivers who fail to stop at a steady red light or a railroad crossing signal, or who speed in a school zone. Camera locations are marked, and tickets are mailed to the vehicle owner.

You are responsible for knowing all signs, including city and county signs.

Lane lines

• Yellow lines separate traffic going in opposite directions. White lines separate lanes going the same direction.
• Solid white edge lines mark the edge of the road and separate bike lanes. With no markings, stay as far right as is safe.
• Dashed white: you may change lanes when safe. Shorter dashed lines mean the lane is ending: merge or exit.
• Solid white: stay in your lane unless something special requires you to move.
• Double solid white: a barrier. Crossing it is illegal.
• Dashed yellow center line: you may pass when it is safe.
• Solid yellow on your side: do not cross it to pass.
• Double solid yellow: no passing in either direction.
• Medians can be open space, concrete dividers or 18-inch solid yellow markings with stripes. Driving within, over or across a median is illegal.

Special lanes

• Turn lanes: once you are in one, you must make the turn.
• Shared center turn lanes are marked with left-turn arrows and used by both directions for left turns (and U-turns where allowed). You may cross a solid yellow line to enter one, but do not use it to pass, and do not travel more than 300 feet in it.
• HOV lanes carry a diamond symbol and are separated by a solid white line. Meet the posted occupancy. Motorcycles may use them.
• Reversible lanes are usually marked with double dashed white lines. A green arrow overhead means you may use the lane, a red X means you may not, and a steady yellow X means it is changing direction, so leave it as soon as it is safe.
• Reserved lanes, such as bus-only transit lanes, are marked by signs or pavement markings.
• Express toll and high occupancy toll lanes are free for buses, vanpools, carpools and motorcycles; solo drivers can pay a toll. The guide recommends a Good To Go! account for paying Washington tolls.

Other markings

• Every intersection is legally a crosswalk, marked or not. Yield to anyone in or about to enter a crosswalk, and yield when in-pavement lights are flashing.
• Stop lines: stop before the line, or before the crosswalk if there is one.
• Bike lanes have solid white lines and bike symbols. A buffer of two white lines with diagonal hatching is part of the bike lane.
• Fire lanes are marked with red stripes or a red curb. Do not stop or park in them.
• Yellow stripes show areas where you may not drive.
• Sharrows mark a lane shared with bicycles: drive slowly and give at least 3 feet when passing.
• Bicycle boxes let cyclists wait ahead of cars at a light. You cannot turn right on red at a bicycle box; stay behind the white line until the box is clear.