When Can You Legally Pass On The Shoulder In Washington?
Late last month, we shared the video of a Seattle man’s (we’re assuming the driver was a man, because of reasons) driving tip to beat the standstill traffic, especially on the freeway.
You can check out that story and video here.
Whether the driver’s antics led to others copying him or just asking the question, no, what he did is not legal. However, passing on the shoulder is a little tricky.
Reddit user Nanamagari1989 posted in the Spokane section a video and asked the question:
“Is this legal in the state of Washington? I can’t recall seeing anyone do this in my 6 years of driving here.” – Nanamagari1989.
is this legal in the state of washington? i cant recall seeing anyone do this in my 6 years of driving here. couldnt find any info from wsdot on this
byu/Nanamagari1989 inSpokane
The video shows a couple of cars passing, using the road’s shoulder to avoid a left-turning vehicle.
Passing on the right is usually frowned upon unless in certain conditions.
According to the Washington State Legislature, passing on the right is okay when you are overtaking a vehicle that is making a left turn or if it’s two lanes going the same direction (and it is safe).
The other way it is permitted gets a little tricky with the words it uses.
“The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movement in safety. Such movement shall not be made by driving off the roadway.” – WSL.
So, is the shoulder considered a “roadway”? I would say yes, and according to Google’s AI, it is also a yes.
The main thing is safety. Where the shoulder is primarily used for emergency vehicles or vehicles that are having issues, it’s a good call not to use the shoulder to pass.
In most states, passing on the right shoulder is illegal, but in Washington, as long as it’s safe and it is just to pass a turning vehicle (as the video above shows), you should be clear.
But when it comes down to it, don’t. Those precious few seconds you save aren’t worth the risk of an accident, or whatever complications that may arise from the shoulder time saver. Be safe, slow down, life is going too fast as it is.
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