Washington's New 'Safety Stop' Law Goes Into Effect

SEATTLE, WA — The beginning of October brings along a new law in Washington, formally legalizing the "Safety Stop," which lets cyclists treat stop signs like yield signs. The law, approved by the legislature in March, makes Washington the fifth state to adopt such a measure, following Oregon, Idaho, Arkansas and Delaware.

Cyclists are still required to slow down when they approach intersections and yield to pedestrians or vehicles who have the right of way. If no one does, cyclists can continue through the sign without coming to a complete stop. Bicycles will still be required to stop for signals on school buses and signs at railroad crossings.

Supporters of the law say it formally allows an already-common practice, and increases safety at intersections, in part by keeping bicycles from waiting in vehicle blind spots. When Idaho passed the nation's first such law in the 1980s, the state reported bicycle-related injuries dropped 14 percent a year later.