Washington state lawmakers have advanced a bill that would expand the definition of reckless driving to include speeders going more than 30 miles per hour over the limit.
Senate Bill 5238, sponsored by state Sen. Ron Muzzall, an Oak Harbor Republican, unanimously passed out of the House Community Safety Committee March 24 with bipartisan support.
Reckless driving, a gross misdemeanor, is punishable by up to 364 days of jail time and a fine of up to $5,000. Speeding-offenders also would have their license suspended for at least 30 days under the bill. Last month the legislation was passed by the Senate on a vote of 47-2.
Muzzall, a former firefighter, noted that he worked on the bill with state Sen. John Lovick, a Mill Creek Democrat and former state trooper.
“He and I both commute up I-5; he goes to Snohomish County, I go all the way to Island County,” Muzzall told the House Community Safety Committee during a March 18 hearing. “We have individuals on our state highways that are risking all of our lives for the fun of it.”
Speeding-driver-involved fatal crashes have soared in recent years, according to data from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. In 2019 there were 145 such deaths; in 2023, there were 240.
Drivers caught speeding can be slapped with reckless driving charges today, but it has to be proven in court that their driving was indeed reckless.
The law previously didn’t outline an exact speeding threshold for reckless-driving charges, according to the Association of Washington Cities. Supporters say the proposed legislation would assist law enforcement by providing a clear set of standards for when to apply such charges.
“This bill would simply state: If you exceed the speed limit by 30 miles an hour, you’re driving recklessly, just pure and simple,” Muzzall said.
In addition to drivers whizzing by on Interstate 5, Muzzall cited excessive speeding-related accidents happening in cities. Last year, for instance, an 18-year-old man driving at excessive speeds — 112 mph, according to reports — ran a red light and struck a minivan, killing a carpooling mom and three kids and injuring two others.
Had the suspect been caught ahead of time, Muzzall said, he would’ve been charged with speeding but not necessarily for reckless driving.
“Honestly, after serving in the fire service for 20 years, I’m pretty tired of picking up pieces,” he said. “And this is one way that we’re going to be able to hold them at a level of accountability when we do catch them exceeding speed limits in excess of 30 miles an hour.”
Amy Freedheim, a King County attorney prosecuting the man who killed the carpooling mom and kids, told the committee that “speed is a horrible, horrible problem for us. We are seeing more and more fatalities because of it.”
State Rep. Roger Goodman, a Kirkland Democrat and chair of the House Community Safety Committee, said ahead of Monday’s vote that driving home these days can be a nerve-racking experience.
State Rep. Brian Burnett, a Wenatchee Republican, said drivers don’t have to look hard to find examples of drivers pushing the limit. Such actions put others at risk of serious harm or death.
“So we agree that this was a good law, and I think that we hope that this will ... help with enforcement, but actually save lives and keep people from being injured,” Burnett said.
If passed into law, the bill would take effect Sept. 1.