46.37.440 - Flares or other warning devices required on certain vehicles.

Flares or other warning devices required on certain vehicles.

(1) No person may operate any motor truck, passenger bus, truck tractor, motor home, or travel trailer over eighty inches in overall width upon any highway outside the corporate limits of municipalities at any time unless there is carried in such vehicle the following equipment except as provided in subsection (2) of this section:

     (a) At least three flares or three red electric lanterns or three portable red emergency reflectors, each of which shall be capable of being seen and distinguished at a distance of not less than six hundred feet under normal atmospheric conditions at nighttime.

     No flare, fusee, electric lantern, or cloth warning flag may be used for the purpose of compliance with this section unless such equipment is of a type which has been submitted to the state patrol and conforms to rules adopted by it. No portable reflector unit may be used for the purpose of compliance with the requirements of this section unless it is so designed and constructed as to be capable of reflecting red light clearly visible from all distances within six hundred feet to one hundred feet under normal atmospheric conditions at night when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps, and unless it is of a type which has been submitted to the state patrol and conforms to rules adopted by it;

     (b) At least three red-burning fusees unless red electric lanterns or red portable emergency reflectors are carried;

     (c) At least two red-cloth flags, not less than twelve inches square, with standards to support such flags.

     (2) No person may operate at the time and under conditions stated in subsection (1) of this section any motor vehicle used for the transportation of explosives, any cargo tank truck used for the transportation of flammable liquids or compressed gases or liquefied gases, or any motor vehicle using compressed gas as a fuel unless there is carried in such vehicle three red electric lanterns or three portable red emergency reflectors meeting the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, and there shall not be carried in any said vehicle any flares, fusees, or signal produced by flame.

[1987 c 330 § 724; 1986 c 113 § 6; 1977 ex.s. c 355 § 38; 1971 ex.s. c 97 § 1; 1961 c 12 § 46.37.440. Prior: 1955 c 269 § 44; prior: 1947 c 267 § 7, part; Rem. Supp. 1947 § 6360-32a, part; RCW 46.40.210, part.]

Notes: Construction -- Application of rules -- Severability -- 1987 c 330: See notes following RCW 28B.12.050.

Severability -- 1977 ex.s. c 355: See note following RCW 46.37.010.