HB 2174 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Establishing accident risk zones.

HB 2174 allows counties, cities, or towns in Washington to designate "accident risk zones" on public roads with frequent collisions. It requires public hearings before designation, mandates safety investigations (including speed limit reviews), and increases enforcement in these zones. Drivers committing traffic violations like speeding in these zones face double the standard fine if signs notify them of the higher penalties, with half the doubled fines funding safety improvements like road signs or engineering fixes. Zones automatically end once safety measures are implemented or can be dissolved via petition from property owners or by the local government. The bill explicitly authorizes local governments to create these zones under new state law provisions.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Dec 19, 2025 Last action Feb 5, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change the terminology from 'accident risk zones' to 'crash prevention zones' and significantly altered the penalty structure. Instead of doubling existing fines, the bill now mandates a flat $73 penalty for traffic infractions or collisions within these zones, provided specific warning signs are posted. The scope of who can create these zones was expanded to allow the Department of Transportation to designate zones on state highways independently of local approval.

Scope change

The scope of authority was expanded to allow the Department of Transportation to create crash prevention zones on state highways without needing approval from counties, cities, or towns.

DEFINITION

Terminology changed from 'accident risk zones' to 'crash prevention zones' throughout the text.

Updated the criteria for creating zones to specifically mention identifying roads with collisions that caused 'serious injuries or fatalities'.

ELIGIBILITY

Added authority for the Department of Transportation to designate zones on state highways without requiring local government approval.

ENFORCEMENT

Changed the penalty mechanism from doubling existing fines to a mandatory flat fee of $73 for violations or collisions in the zone.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the penalty clause to require signs stating that penalties are 'increased' rather than 'doubled'.

FISCAL

Changed the funding allocation to specify that exactly $73 of the penalty must be deposited into the zone account, replacing the previous 'one-half of doubled penalties' rule.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Transportation at 1:00 PM.

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to Transportation.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Local Government at 10:30 AM.

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 8:00 AM.

lower

1 primary · 6 co-sponsors