Can you get a DUI while riding a bike in Washington? A scooter? What law says
Drinking and driving is illegal in Washington state, but that doesn’t stop some residents.
A Reddit user commented on the “casualness of drunk driving in Bellingham.”
“I have noticed a casual attitude of drunk/buzzed driving in Bellingham. It seems to be really normalized and minimized,” Reddit user kittenparty999 wrote in a 2024 post. “I have heard a lot of people who have gotten DUIs and still continue to drink excessively and drive. Why is that?”
“Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is a leading factor in Washington traffic deaths,” the Washington State Patrol said on its website. “Even one driver under the influence is too much.”
Do DUI rules apply to other modes of transportation in Washington state? Can you get arrested for riding a bike, scooter or a skateboard while drunk or high?
Here’s what to know:
What is considered impaired driving under Washington law?
The Washington State Department of Licensing defines driving under the influence of intoxicants as “operating a vehicle while affected by alcohol, drugs or both.”
“This applies to both legal and illegal drugs, including prescription medication and over-the-counter drugs.”
If an officer determines the driver is driving while intoxicated, the motorist can be arrested on suspicion of DUI and have their license suspended, the state Licensing Department said.
A driver can schedule a hearing to contest the suspension, according to the agency.
How do police tell if a driver is drunk?
Here’s how law enforcement officers determine if a driver is legally under the influence of alcohol, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Drivers age 21 and older can be charged with DUI if the “results of a breath or blood test” show their blood alcohol concentration is 0.08% or higher.
For drivers under age 21, the legal alcohol limit drops to 0.02%.
A driver can also face DUI charges if they’re “affected by alcohol, any drug or a combination of alcohol and drugs, regardless of the concentration of alcohol in their breath or blood,” the Washington State Patrol says.
To determine if you are too high to drive, police officers may require you to complete standard field sobriety tests, according to Campbell Law Firm in Anacortes.
Is riding a bike while intoxicated illegal in Washington?
It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Washington state.
Washington state law defines a motor vehicle as “a device capable of being moved upon a public highway and in, upon, or by which any persons or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway.”
However, the law “excludes” several modes of transportation from that description, including:
- Powered wheelchairs
- Bicycles
- Motorized scooters
- Skateboards
- Golf carts
In other words, Washington law does not specifically prevent people from riding bikes, skateboards and electric scooters while intoxicated.
“We do not recommend using a bike, skateboard, or scooter as a method to travel after having consumed intoxicating liquor or drugs, just because one cannot get a DUI,” Bellingham Police Department Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald. “It is dangerous to operate those devices under the influence.”
Murphy said the Bellingham Police Department stopped a golf cart driver in 2025 on suspicion of DUI.
However, the driver was not arrested after being breathalyzed, the police lieutenant said.
What are penalties for biking while drunk or high?
Washington state has specific rules for law enforcement officers who encounter bicyclists who appear to be “under the influence of alcohol or any drug” while “walking or moving along or within the right-of-way of a public roadway.”
The officer may offer to “transport the intoxicated bicycle rider to a safe place” or hand the cyclist over to a “competent person,” according to the Revised Code of Washington.
If the intoxicated cyclist appears to pose a “threat to public safety,” the law enforcement officer can impound their bike, state law says.
“The bicyclist will be given a written notice of when and where the impounded bicycle may be reclaimed,“ the Revised Code of Washington says, and get their bike back when they are no longer intoxicated.
If the bike is not claimed within 30 days, it can be thrown away or resold, state law says.
Cyclists under age 21 can face additional charges, according to Murphy.
“If the operator of a skateboard, bike or scooter is underage and consuming intoxicating liquor or drugs, they can be cited for minor in possession (and, or) consumption or drug possession,” Murphy said.
This story was originally published February 22, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Can you get a DUI while riding a bike in Washington? A scooter? What law says."