OLYMPIA — Legislation sponsored by Sen. Nikki Torres to address dangerous crash hotspots on Washington roadways was signed into law Friday during a bill signing ceremony in Yakima.
Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 6066 creates “crash prevention zones,” a targeted approach to improving safety on roadways with higher-than-expected rates of serious injury and fatal crashes.
The measure passed the Legislature with strong bipartisan support, receiving final approval in the Senate on a 48–1 vote after clearing the House 94–2.
“This is about responding when the data is clear and the need is urgent,” Torres said. “In communities like mine, we’ve seen too many lives lost on the same stretches of road. When a roadway becomes a predictable site of tragedy, we have a responsibility to act.”
Torres introduced the legislation following a series of deadly crashes along U.S. 395 between Pasco and Mesa, where multiple lives have been lost in recent years.
Under ESSSB 6066, local governments and the Washington State Department of Transportation may designate crash-prevention zones on roadways where data show a pattern of serious or fatal collisions. Once a zone is established, jurisdictions must conduct an engineering and traffic investigation to identify safety improvements, which may include speed adjustments, improved signage or lighting, lane changes, or planning for long-term infrastructure upgrades.
Law enforcement agencies will also coordinate increased traffic enforcement within designated zones, and automated traffic safety cameras may be used to detect speeding. Revenue generated from those cameras must be reinvested into safety improvements within the zone.
“On U.S. 395 between Pasco and Mesa, the data has shown a troubling pattern for years,” Torres continued. “These are not just numbers. These are lives lost, families changed, and a community asking why it keeps happening. This bill gives us a way to take that data and turn it into action.”
The law also increases penalties for using a personal electronic device while driving within a crash prevention zone, reinforcing efforts to reduce distracted driving in high-risk areas.
Crash prevention zones are designed to be temporary and must be dissolved once safety improvements are in place.
“This is a practical step forward,” Torres concluded. “We’re focusing on the areas where crashes keep happening, slowing dangerous behavior, and making real improvements so people can get where they’re going safely.”
The bill was delivered to the governor on March 12 and will take effect 90 days after adjournment of the 2026 legislative session.
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