Wash. Rev. Code » Title 46 · Chapter 46.61
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 46.61.145 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.
(2) The driver of any motor truck or motor vehicle drawing another vehicle when traveling upon a roadway outside of a business or residence district and which is following another motor truck or motor vehicle drawing another vehicle shall, whenever conditions permit, leave sufficient space so that an overtaking vehicle may enter and occupy such space without danger, except that this shall not prevent a motor truck or motor vehicle drawing another vehicle from overtaking and passing any like vehicle or other vehicle.
(3) Motor vehicles being driven upon any roadway outside of a business or residence district in a caravan or motorcade whether or not towing other vehicles shall be so operated as to allow sufficient space between each such vehicle or combination of vehicles so as to enable any other vehicle to enter and occupy such space without danger. This provision shall not apply to funeral processions.
(4)(a) When the vehicle being followed is a vulnerable user of a public way, a driver of a motor vehicle found to be in violation of this section must be assessed an additional fine equal to the base penalty assessed under RCW 46.63.110(3). This fine may not be waived, reduced, or suspended, unless the court finds the offender to be indigent, and is not subject to the additional fees and assessments that the base penalty for this violation is subject to under RCW 2.68.040, 3.62.090, and 46.63.110.
(b) For the purposes of this section, "vulnerable user of a public way" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 46.61.5259.
(5) The additional fine imposed under subsection (4) of this section must be deposited into the vulnerable roadway user education account created in subsection (6) of this section.
(6) The vulnerable roadway user education account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from the additional fine in subsection (4) of this section must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only by the Washington traffic safety commission solely to:
(a) Support programs dedicated to increasing awareness by law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges of opportunities for the enforcement of traffic infractions and offenses committed against vulnerable roadway users; and
(b) With any funds remaining once the program support specified in (a) of this subsection has been provided, support programs dedicated to increasing awareness by the public of the risks and penalties associated with traffic infractions and offenses committed against vulnerable roadway users.
[ 2023 c 471 s 5; 2019 c 403 s 4; 1965 ex.s. c 155 s 24.]

Notes:

Rules of court: Monetary penalty schedule—IRLJ 6.2.
Effective date—2023 c 471: See note following RCW 46.61.5259.
Finding—Intent—Effective date—2019 c 403: See notes following RCW 46.04.071.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1970–2023 · leading case: Riojas v. Grant Cnty. Pub. Util. Dist., 117 Wash. App. 694 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003).
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Riojas v. Grant Cnty. Pub. Util. Dist., 117 Wash. App. 694 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003). “Viewing the facts most favorably to Ms. Riojas, the “following driver” rule applies to Mr.”
Riojas v. Grant Cnty. Pub. Util. Dist., 72 P.3d 1093 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003). “Viewing the facts most favorably to Ms. Riojas, the "following driver" rule applies to Mr.”
Bordynoski v. Bergner, 644 P.2d 1173 (Wash. 1982). “under the rules governing such movement", RCW 46.”
Martini v. State, 121 Wash. App. 150 (Wash. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 5× “By its terms, RCW 46.61.145 applies when one vehicle is “follow[ing]” another vehicle.”
Martini Ex Rel. Dussault v. State, 89 P.3d 250 (Wash. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 5× “By its terms, RCW 46.61.145 applies when one vehicle is "follow[ing]" another vehicle.”
Supanchick v. Pfaff, 756 P.2d 146 (Wash. Ct. App. 1988). “Finally, RCW 46.61.145(1) states: *866 The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon the condition of the highway.”
Szupkay v. Cozzetti, 678 P.2d 358 (Wash. Ct. App. 1984). “04, the following driver instruction which is based upon RCW 46.61.145. It is undisputed that appellant's car was in a stopped position when it was first seen by either of the respondents.”
State v. MaCrae, 676 P.2d 463 (Wash. 1984). “245 (driver shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian); RCW 46.61.145 (following more closely than is reasonable and prudent).”
Nance v. Metro. Transit Corp., 473 P.2d 207 (Wash. Ct. App. 1970). · cites it 2× “400(1), 1 and was following the Malstrom convertible *105 too closely, in violation of RCW 46.61.145 (1) . 2 The majority then concludes that this evidence would entitle the trier of fact to determine violation of a common law or statutory duty owed by Reeser to the plaintiffs.”
Waller v. Mann (W.D. Wash. 2019). · cites it 3× “11 However, defendants point out that RCW 46.61.145 states that “[t]he driver of a motor 12 vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due 13 regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the…”
William H. Morgan v. Dep't Of Labor & Indus. (Wash. Ct. App. 2017). “020, and following another vehicle too closely under RCW 46.61.145. Sulgrove was released at the scene.”
Anthony Stogin, V. Kathleen Prausa, Et Ano (Wash. Ct. App. 2022). “RCW 46.61.145(1) prohibits drivers from following another vehicle “more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed” of the lead vehicle and the traffic on and condition of the highway.”
Show all 14 citing cases →
— Wash. Rev. Code § 46.61.145(1) — 9 cases
Riojas v. Grant Cnty. Pub. Util. Dist., 117 Wash. App. 694 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003). “Viewing the facts most favorably to Ms. Riojas, the “following driver” rule applies to Mr.”
Riojas v. Grant Cnty. Pub. Util. Dist., 72 P.3d 1093 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003). “Viewing the facts most favorably to Ms. Riojas, the "following driver" rule applies to Mr.”
Martini v. State, 121 Wash. App. 150 (Wash. Ct. App. 2004). “By its terms, RCW 46.61.145 applies when one vehicle is “follow[ing]” another vehicle.”
Martini Ex Rel. Dussault v. State, 89 P.3d 250 (Wash. Ct. App. 2004). “By its terms, RCW 46.61.145 applies when one vehicle is "follow[ing]" another vehicle.”
Supanchick v. Pfaff, 756 P.2d 146 (Wash. Ct. App. 1988). “Finally, RCW 46.61.145(1) states: *866 The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon the condition of the highway.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.