Traffic Safety Education

Medina Police Department

Traffic Safety and Enforcement

 

Getting pulled over by a police officer can be a stressful and uncomfortable experience, especially if you have never been pulled over before. This page is designed to familiarize you with what to expect in traffic stop from the Medina Police Department.

The primary reason for being pulled over is for your safety and the safety of others. Education is the number one goal of the Medina Police Department. Through driver education and enforcement, our mission is to keep you, your friends, and your loved ones safe on our streets.

The Medina Police Department has focused on three major areas that studies have shown can reduce collisions, prevent injuries, and save lives. These areas are:

  • Speeding
  • Seat Belts
  • DUI (driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol)

While there are many other moving violations, these three major areas significantly impact public safety.

Officers carry out the department's goal of providing a safe motoring environment for the public. They are responsible for enforcing traffic laws, investigating collisions, and assisting motorists on all of the streets in the City of Medina and Town of Hunts Point.

We hope this page will help you feel comfortable with the contact you have with the officer. Please remember that the number one goal is to make sure you and your loved ones are safe on the roadways.

What You Can Expect From the Medina Police Department
  • That the officer is courteous and professional and treats you in a respectful manner.
  • That you will receive an explanation of why you were stopped.
  • That your safety is ensured while in contact with the officer and that he or she will assist you in getting back on the roadway safely.
  • If you are issued a ticket, that it will be explained to you as well as your options for resolving it.
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If You Are Stopped by the Medina Police Department

As soon as you notice the emergency lights, pull your vehicle safely over to the right and stop when it is safe.

  • Although you might not know the reason, you should pull over right away.
  • There may be some problem with your vehicle of which you are unaware.

Remain in your vehicle while the officer approaches.

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Safety is Our Concern: Don't be Offended

Most citizens already realize that law enforcement is a difficult and dangerous profession. Scores of police officers are killed each year, and hundreds more are injured and assaulted. For these reasons, police officers tend to be extremely cautious. They place a great deal of emphasis on officer safety and survival. Certain safety practices are instilled in our officers from the first day of their careers.

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Treating Citizens With Respect

Medina Police Officers, from day one, are trained in keeping our community safe and enhancing the quality of life for us all. They are taught to be respectful, professional, and courteous in all education and enforcement stops.

If you feel an officer has acted inappropriately, I want to know. Please contact Chief Steve Burns of the Medina Police Department at (425) 233-6420 and communicate your concerns. You have the right to file a complaint through that office and I will follow up on it.

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Bicycle Helmets

Make Every Bicycle Ride a Safe Ride
Bicycle accidents can cause severe head or brain injuries that can have serious effects. They can cause learning disabilities, personality changes, loss of speech or sight, paralysis and even death.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, if the vehicle is equipped with a passenger side air bag and it is practical to do so. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under 12 are safer in the back seat regardless of the presence of a passenger side air bag.

Category: Traffic Safety

No. (RCW 46.04.320)

Category: Traffic Safety

Yes, a driver or passenger who possesses written verification from a licensed physician that the driver or passenger is unable to wear a safety belt for physical or medical reasons does not have to wear the safety belt.

Category: Traffic Safety

No. The driver of a vehicle is only responsible for ensuring all persons 15 and under is properly secured in a seat belt or other safety restraint device as required by law. All persons age 16 and over may be issued a separate Notice of Infraction.

Category: Traffic Safety

Yes, provided there are no seats available in the cab. If adults are occupying the passenger seats, they are required to ride in the back so children can ride in the cab.

Washington does not have a law that prevents persons from riding in pickup beds. However, the seat belt law does require that all passenger positions with safety belts be utilized. Example: If there are five seating positions in the pickup and there are only two adults in the passenger compartment but three other persons in the pickup bed, the driver (depending on the age of the persons in the pickup bed) could be issued a Notice of Infraction.

Category: Traffic Safety

Yes, providing there are not signs prohibiting the use of motorized vehicles.

Category: Traffic Safety

No driver’s license is required to operate an EPAMD or a motorized foot scooter.

Category: Traffic Safety

Persons in the driving compartment must use proper restraints. Persons in the living area should use restraints if there are restraints available.

Category: Traffic Safety

Yes, but it is not made available to insurance companies. This violation is like any other Notice of Infraction. If it is not taken care of properly, your license will be suspended for fail to appear.

Category: Traffic Safety

Seat belt extenders are available for most domestic vehicles for a fee. Take the information on the seat belt label along with your vehicle to the parts department of your local dealer. Extenders are not interchangeable, so go to the dealer for your particular vehicle. If you have trouble getting service from the dealer, try another dealer or call the customer assistance number listed in your owner's manual. Check your owner's manual for an explanation of these seat belt systems.

Category: Traffic Safety

Washington law requires these children to be properly restrained in a forward-facing child safety seat restraint system.  Use a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt for every trip—even when you’re just going down the street. Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size, and always follow the manufacturer’s directions. Make sure your car seat is compatible with your vehicle by checking the car seat manufacturer’s instructions. Keep kids in the back seat at least through age 12.

For more information please visit any of these resources:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/13237-parents_guide_playing_it_safe_tagged.pdf
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/carseat-recommendations-for-children-by-age-size.pdf

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
More information on child safety and car seats can be found on the following NHTSA websites:
Child Safety www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/child-safety
Car Seat Ease-of-Use Ratings System www.nhtsa.gov/carseat
Find Your Local Certified Safety Seat Technician www.nhtsa.gov/carseatinspection 

 

 

Category: Traffic Safety

Washington law states the child can be one year or twenty pounds. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the child remain rear-facing until at least one year and twenty pounds.

Category: Traffic Safety
  • Every vehicle manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1965, shall be equipped with at least two lap-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.
  • Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped with a lap-type safety belt assembly for each permanent passenger seating position.
  • Every passenger car manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1968, shall be equipped with at least two shoulder harness-type safety belt assemblies for use in the front seating positions.
  • Every pickup manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1972, shall be equipped with safety belts.
  • Rule of thumb: If your vehicle was originally equipped with safety belts, they must be in good working order and must be used.
Category: Traffic Safety

No, they will not be ticketed.

Other miscellaneous information:

  • One person per belt.
  • Keep lap belts low and snug across the thighs.
  • Do not place the shoulder portion of the seat belt behind your back or under the arm. This prevents the seat belt from working properly.
  • Always use a seat belt, even if you have an air bag.
  • Always replace a child's car seat if it has been involved in a collision.
  • Child safety seats are found to reduce fatal injuries by 71% for infants (less than 1 year of age) and 54% for toddlers in passenger cars.
  • Lap and shoulder belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45% and the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50%.

For more information about child safety restraints, child seat clinics, seat belts, and air bags, you can contact the following organizations:

Category: Traffic Safety

Yes.

Category: Traffic Safety

Most experts agree that size is more important than age.

Category: Traffic Safety

An “electric personal assistive mobility device” (EPAMD) means a self-balancing device with two wheels not in tandem, designed to transport only one person by an electric propulsion system with an average power of seven hundred fifty watts (one horsepower) having a maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such propulsion while ridden by an operator weighing one hundred seventy pounds, or less than twenty miles per hour. (RCW 46.04.1695)

A “motorized foot scooter” means a device with no more than 2 ten-inch or smaller diameter wheels that has handlebars, is designed to be stood or sat upon by the operator, and is powered by an internal combustion engine or electric motor that is capable of propelling the device with or without human propulsion. (RCW 46.04.336)

Category: Traffic Safety

The fine is $101.

Category: Traffic Safety

June 13, 2002 - Primary enforcement law
July 1, 2002 - Child passenger restraint law

For more information on the law, see RCW 46.61.687 and RCW 46.61.688.

Category: Traffic Safety

Washington law requires a child who is less than 6 years of age but at least 4 or weighs less than 60 pounds but at least 40 pounds be properly restrained in a child booster seat when both lap and shoulder belts are available. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends booster seats, used in conjunction with lap/shoulder belts, be used until the child is 8 years old unless the child is 4'9".

If you answer "NO" to any of the following questions, your child is safer in a booster seat:

  1. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
  2. Does the child sit with hips all the way back against the auto seat?
  3. Is the lap belt on the top part of the thighs?
  4. Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?
  5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
Category: Traffic Safety

It is unlawful to operate an EPAMD on a fully controlled limited access highway; however, an EPAMD can be ridden on sidewalks. (RCW 46.61.710)

Motorized foot scooters may not be operated at any time from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise. They may be operated most places bicycles are allowed such as multipurpose trails or bicycle lanes, provided “motorized vehicles” are not prohibited. (RCW 46.61.710)

Category: Traffic Safety
  • A municipality and the Department of Transportation may prohibit the operation of an EPAMD on public highways within their respective jurisdictions where the speed limit is greater than 25 miles per hour.
  • A municipality may restrict the speed of an EPAMD in locations with congested pedestrian or non-motorized traffic and where there is significant speed differential between pedestrians and EPAMD operators. The areas in this subsection must be designated by the city engineer or designee of the municipality. Municipalities shall not restrict the speed of an EPAMD in the entire community or in areas in which there is infrequent pedestrian traffic.
  • A state agency or local government or municipalities may regulate the operation of an EPAMD and motorized foot scooter within the boundaries under their jurisdiction and control, including any area used for recreation, open space, habitat, trails, or conservation purposes. (RCW 46.61.710)
Category: Traffic Safety

See the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's web site for the answer to this question.

Category: Traffic Safety
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