Dear friends and neighbors,
As a Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee, I spent a significant amount of time focusing on road safety. One bill that I helped shepherd through the process was Senate Bill 5583, requiring the Department of Licensing to expand requirements for driver training education for people ages 18 to 24. It is part of a package of legislation introduced this session aimed at increasing traffic safety, following a report released by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission that showed a sharp increase in fatal road incidents.
The Washington State Patrol is tasked with keeping our roads safe by responding to incidents, aiding motorists in crisis, and helping ensure the safety of road workers and other emergency responders. Recruitment at WSP has struggled in recent years, even though demand for in state and out-of-state candidates is high. Troopers at the Washington State Patrol (WSP) are a vital part of our highway safety system, enforcing roadway regulations and offering road assistance. In 2022, Washington experienced 745 traffic fatalities, its highest level in more than 30 years. House Bill 1638 incentivizes the recruitment of qualified troopers to address workforce shortages and tackle our growing highway safety needs.
In previous sessions, I sponsored legislation to improve visibility for emergency vehicles. Though I didn’t introduce legislation this year, I helped pass Senate Bill 5023, allowing emergency tow trucks at the scene of an accident to use rear facing blue lights in addition to an intermittent or revolving red light. It also allows these vehicles to operate that red light when reentering the roadway from the scene of an emergency or accident and requires drivers on the road to slow down and move over if they can safely.
Community investments
The state transportation and construction budgets made critical investments into local projects that will benefit our communities. I am most excited about the $650,000 invested to rebuild the Mays Pond Playground and the $6,500,000 to create a sustainable aviation center. This partnership between Washington State University and Snohomish County will help us research aviation technologies to minimize aviation’s contribution to climate change, reduce its impacts on the environment, and create additional opportunities for our workers.
Road safety resources
With winter approaching, it is time to start thinking about staying safe during winter driving. One of my priorities is to help Washington better prepare for emergencies. Though we often think of emergencies in a limited sense – like fires and earthquakes; sometimes an emergency can be as simple as car troubles during a winter storm. It is important that we all take steps to prepare ourselves to respond these situations.
As you prepare your car for winter driving, consider creating a car kit with helpful supplies. WSDOT has a helpful checklist with great gear suggestions. It’s also important to check driving conditions. You can do that in real time at the WSDOT website or on the WDOT app.
We must all do our part to make the roads safer. As your state legislator, and as a member of the Transportation Committee, I will work to improve road conditions and reduce incidents, so our roads are safer, drive times are reduced, and our family members spend more time with us and less on the road.
Thank you,
Rep. Brandy Donaghy