Chapter 16.37
Vehicle Lighting and Other Equipment

Sections:

16.37.010 Scope and Effect of Regulations – General Penalty.

16.37.600 Liability of Operator, Owner, Lessee for Violations.

16.37.010 Scope and Effect of Regulations – General Penalty.

1.   It is a traffic infraction for any person to drive or move or for the owner to cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved on any highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles which is in such unsafe condition as to endanger any person, or which does not contain those parts or is not at all times equipped with such lamps and other equipment in proper condition and adjustment as required in RCW chapter 46.37 or in regulations issued by the chief of the Washington state patrol, or which is equipped in any manner in violation of RCW chapter 46.47 or the state patrol’s regulations, or for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required under RCW chapter 46.37 or the state patrol’s regulations.

2.   Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the use of additional parts or accessories on any vehicle not inconsistent with the provisions of RCW chapter 46.37 or the state patrol’s regulations.

3.   The provisions of this chapter with respect to equipment on vehicles shall not apply to implements of husbandry, road machinery, road rollers, or farm tractors except as in RCW chapter 46.37 made applicable.

4.   No owner or operator of a farm tractor, self-propelled unit of farm equipment, or implement of husbandry shall be guilty of a crime or subject to penalty for violation of RCW 46.37.160 as now or hereafter amended unless such violation occurs on a public highway.

5.   It is a traffic infraction for any person to sell or offer for sale vehicle equipment which is required to be approved by the state patrol as prescribed in RCW 46.37.005 unless it has been approved by the state patrol.

6.   The provisions of this chapter with respect to equipment required on vehicles shall not apply to motorcycles or motor-driven cycles except as in RCW chapter 46.37 made applicable.

7.   Reserved.

8.   Whenever a traffic infraction is chargeable to the owner or lessee of a vehicle under subsection (1) of this section, the driver shall not be arrested or issued a notice of traffic infraction unless the vehicle is registered in a jurisdiction other than Washington state, or unless the infraction is for an offense that is clearly within the responsibility of the driver.

9.   Whenever the owner or lessee is issued a notice of traffic infraction under this section the court may, on the request of the owner or lessee, take appropriate steps to make the driver of the vehicle, or any other person who directs the loading, maintenance, or operation of the vehicle, a codefendant. If the codefendant is held solely responsible and is found to have committed the traffic infraction, the court may dismiss the notice against the owner or lessee.

[Ord. C31398 § 220; Passed: 6/5/1995]

Cross Reference: Rules of Court: Monetary penalty schedule – JTIR 6.2.

16.37.600 Liability of Operator, Owner, Lessee for Violations.

Whenever an act or omission is declared to be unlawful in this chapter or RCW chapter 46.37, if the operator of the vehicle is not the owner or lessee of such vehicle, but is so operating or moving the vehicle with the express or implied permission of the owner or lessee, then the operator and/or owner or lessee are both subject to the provisions of this chapter with the primary responsibility to be that of the owner or lessee.

If the person operating the vehicle at the time of the unlawful act or omission is not the owner or lessee of the vehicle, such person is fully authorized to accept the citation and execute the promise to appear on behalf of the owner or lessee.

[Ord. C31398 § 221; Passed: 6/5/1995]