You shouldn’t drive in reverse down a main road. But is it actually illegal in Washington?
Driving in reverse down a busy street might seem illegal. But as long as you’re keeping up with traffic and have your car under control, can you get pulled over just for driving backwards?
Here’s what to know.
Law on driving in reverse in WA
A 1965 section of Washington’s motor vehicle code titled “Limitations on Backing” addressed the state’s rules for driving in reverse. It states that a driver can’t go in reverse “unless such movement can be made with safety and without interfering with other traffic.” The law also explicitly bans driving in reverse on a limited access highway.
There’s a pretty strong argument to be made that driving in reverse on a main road can never be done safely, and is therefore illegal. But the law is also vague enough that it’s not specifically banned — at least if you’re good enough at driving in reverse.
What WA police say
A Washington State Patrol officer clarified in a phone call that even if the law sounds like it’s up for interpretation, there are certain standards we all accept that constitute safe driving, and going in reverse on a main road violates those. No matter how good someone is at driving in reverse, the officer said WSP would consider it unsafe because it would confuse other drivers.
Even if you’re not convinced by that argument, driving down a street in reverse is likely still illegal on a technicality. All cars on Washington roads need to be equipped with brake lights in the back. State law also requires headlights on the front of every car. Those rules leave much less room for interpretation.
There are also laws against driving with your view obstructed, and negligent driving in general.
Between all of those laws, WSP said police would most likely be able to find a reason to pull you over for driving in reverse.
How much would a ticket be?
According to WSP spokesperson Deion Glover, the base fine for driving unsafely in reverse is $93.
Traffic fines are also subject to $44 in additional fees, according to state law. So if you’re caught, it would likely set you back closer to $140.
