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- Washington
Washington House Approves Bill Creating Crash Prevention Zones on Dangerous Highways
The legislation aims to improve safety on highways with a history of serious crashes.
Published on Mar. 10, 2026
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The Washington House of Representatives has approved a bill that would allow the creation of 'crash prevention zones' in areas where data shows a pattern of serious injury or fatal collisions. The bill, introduced by Sen. Nikki Torres, would enable the Washington State Department of Transportation and local governments to designate specific road corridors as crash prevention zones and implement safety improvements such as adjusted speed limits, improved lighting or signage, lane modifications, and increased traffic enforcement.
Why it matters
This legislation is a response to deadly crashes along U.S. Highway 395 between Pasco and Mesa, where 10 people died on a five-mile stretch of the highway between 2020 and 2025. The bill aims to enhance safety on Washington's most dangerous highways and reduce the number of serious injury and fatal collisions.
The details
Under the proposal, once a crash prevention zone is established, officials would conduct engineering and traffic investigations to identify potential safety improvements. Possible changes could include adjusted speed limits, improved lighting or signage, lane modifications, and planning for long-term infrastructure upgrades. Law enforcement agencies would also coordinate increased traffic enforcement within designated zones. The bill would also allow automated traffic safety cameras to monitor speeding in these areas, with revenue from the cameras directed to local accounts used for engineering studies, signage, and other safety improvements within the crash prevention zones.
- The Washington House of Representatives approved the bill on March 6, 2026.
- The bill was introduced by Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco.
- The legislation was prompted in part by deadly crashes along U.S. Highway 395 between Pasco and Mesa, where 10 people died on a five-mile stretch of the highway between 2020 and December 2025.
The players
Nikki Torres
A Republican state senator from Pasco, Washington, who introduced the bill.
Washington State Department of Transportation
The state agency that would be able to designate specific road corridors as crash prevention zones under the proposed legislation.
What they’re saying
“This legislation was prompted in part by deadly crashes along U.S. Highway 395 between Pasco and Mesa.”
— Sen. Nikki Torres, Bill Sponsor (dailyfly.com)
What’s next
Because the House approved the bill with amendments, it must return to the Senate for concurrence before it can be sent to the governor for consideration. Washington's 60-day legislative session is scheduled to conclude on March 12.
The takeaway
This bill represents a proactive approach to improving safety on Washington's most dangerous highways by allowing the creation of targeted 'crash prevention zones' where data shows a pattern of serious injury or fatal collisions. The legislation aims to reduce the number of deadly crashes through a combination of infrastructure improvements, increased enforcement, and automated speed monitoring.
