Washington statute
RCW 46.61.050 — Obedience to and required traffic control devices
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 46.61: Rules Of The Road, Revised Code of Washington.
Full text of RCW 46.61.050
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
(1) The driver of any vehicle, a person operating a bicycle, and every pedestrian shall obey, and the operation of every personal delivery device shall follow, the instructions of any official traffic control device applicable thereto, and as specified in this chapter, placed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer, subject to the exception granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle in this chapter.
(2) No provision of this chapter for which official traffic control devices are required shall be enforced against an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged violation an official device is not in proper position and sufficiently legible or visible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular section does not state that official traffic control devices are required, such section shall be effective even though no devices are erected or in place.
(3) Whenever official traffic control devices are placed in position approximately conforming to the requirements of this chapter, such devices shall be presumed to have been so placed by the official act or direction of lawful authority, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.
(4) Any official traffic control device placed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and purporting to conform to the lawful requirements pertaining to such devices shall be presumed to comply with the requirements of this chapter, unless the contrary shall be established by competent evidence.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.