Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1963 NO. 74 >

(1) The second paragraph of RCW 46.52.010 requires a driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in damage to property fixed or placed upon or adjacent to any "public highway," to take reasonable steps to give notice of the automobile driver's and owner's name to the owner or person in charge of the damaged property.  (Under requisite circumstances private parking lot would be a public highway. See, AGO 63-64 No. 25.) (2) The phrase "property adjacent to a public highway" as used in RCW 46.52.010 means:  "Property"‑-everything that has exchangeable value and every interest or estate which the law regards of sufficient value for judicial recognition ‑-    "Adjacent"‑-near to or close to, but not required to be directly abutting or adjoining‑- a public highway.