 OK drivers, this is no longer an issue about courtesy or who is morally right
or wrong. The fact is, when slow drivers block the left lane, they increase
the likelihood of road rage in their fellows drivers and faster drivers are
forced to make dangerous evasive maneuvers to “get around,” which
increases the likelihood of an accident, which, as you know can be fatal at
those speeds. Unfortunately, not everyone is listening to classical
or Hawaiian
music
during
their drives to calm their nerves, so it is important that you drive on the
right and pass on the left in order to avoid the above scenario.
There are currently seven states that allow the use of the left hand lane
ONLY for passing or turning left (Shown as “yes” below) and six
states that deny its use if traffic is being blocked. In fact, there are only
five states that do not have any sort of law requiring drivers
to move to the right when driving (shown or "no" or "<SL"). Most
states adhere to the Uniform Vehicle Code, which requires one to move right
if they
are traveling
slower
than the
normal flow of traffic. The following color-coded chart gives detailed information
about the laws of each state. Further explanations and details regarding the
chart can be found at its source at: http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html
You may be asking what you should do with this information. We'll aside from
making sure you are obeying the laws and Driving
on the Right or Passing on
the Left, you could do everyone a huge favor and email
this page to your friends to be sure that they know to do the same.
State "Keep Right" Laws
| State | Keep Right? | Law | Comments |
|---|
| Alabama | slower
| 32-5A-80(b) | |
| Alaska | <SL
| 13 AAC 002.50(b) | Keep right if below speed limit. |
| Arizona | slower
| 28-721(B) | |
| Arkansas | no
| 27-51-301(b)
| Law prohibits obstructing traffic by driving continuously in the left lane. |
| California | slower
| VC 21654(a) | "Notwithstanding the prima facie speed limits" |
| Colorado | slower*
|
42-4-1001(2),
42-4-1103(3),
42-4-1013
|
The left lane is reserved for passing when the speed limit
is 65 or higher.
State Patrol brochure discussing law |
| Connecticut | slower
| 14-230(b) | Passing on right on Interstate prohibited when only two lanes, 14-233(4) |
| Delaware | slower
| 21-4114(b) | |
| Florida | slower
| 316.081(2) | Governor Bush vetoed SB732, which would have reserved the left lane for passing, saying that drivers blocking the left lane are "cautious and careful." |
| Georgia | slower*
| 40-6-40(b),
40-6-184(a)(2)
| If below speed limit in left lane and blocking overtaking traffic, must move right. |
| Hawaii | slower
| 291C-41(b) | Honolulu prohibits driving more than 5 MPH under the limit in the left lane. |
| Idaho | slower
| 49-630(2) | |
| Illinois | yes
| 625 ILCS 5/11-701(b),(d) | Keep right except to pass on limited access highways effective January 1, 2004. |
| Indiana | slower
| 9-21-8-2(b) | |
| Iowa | slower
| 321.297(2) | |
| Kansas | slower
| 8-1514(b) | |
| Kentucky | yes
| 189.340(7) | Only where the speed limit is 65 |
| Louisiana | slower*
| R.S. 32:71 | Must move right if blocking overtaking traffic. |
| Maine | yes
| 29A-2052(6) | Only where the speed limit is 65 |
| Maryland | <SL
| 21-301
| If driving 10 MPH under speed limit, or slower than speed of traffic if conditions require speed below limit.
HB73 of the 2003 session would have required vehicles in the left lane to give way to faster traffic. |
| Massachusetts | yes
| 89-4B | Passing on right prohibited on undivided two-way road, 89-2 |
| Michigan | weird
| 257.634 | Except in heavy traffic or on freeways with three or more lanes. |
| Minnesota | slower
| 169.18(10) | |
| Mississippi | slower
| 63-3-603(d) | |
| Missouri | slower
| 304.015(3)
| 304.151 prohibits "obstruct[ing] the regular flow of traffic on...any state highway" |
| Montana | slower
| 61-8-321(2) | |
| Nebraska | slower
| 60-6,131(2) | |
| Nevada | slow
| 484.373 | Move right if "imped[ing] ... movement of traffic" |
| New Hampshire | slower
| 265:16 | |
| New Jersey | yes
| 39:4-88 | Passing on right prohibited unless vehicles are in "substantially continuous lines". 39:4-85. |
| New Mexico | slower
| 66-7-308(B) | |
| New York | slower
| V&TL 1120 | |
| North Carolina | <SL
| 20-146(b),(e) | Keep right if below speed limit. |
| North Dakota | slower
| | |
| Ohio | slower
| 4511.25 | Left lane for passing only on Turnpike, regulation 5537-2-09. |
| Oklahoma | slower
| 47-11-301 | |
| Oregon | slower
| 811.315 | |
| Pennsylvania | usually
| 75-3313(d), 75-3301(b)
| May also use left lane to allow traffic to merge or "when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow". |
| Rhode Island | slower
| 31-15-2 | No passing on right on two-way street, 31-15-5 |
| South Carolina | slower
| 56-5-1810(b) | Bill 860 would reserve the left lane for passing. |
| South Dakota | no
| 32-26-1 | "Slow moving vehicles" keep right |
| Tennessee | slower
| 55-8-115(b) | |
| Texas | slower
| 545.051(b) | DOT may post "left lane for passing only", 544.011. Passing on right prohibited except on one-way roadways, 545.057. |
| Utah | slower*
| 41-6-53(2), 41-6-55(2) | Must move right to let faster traffic pass. |
| Vermont | slower
| 23-1031(b) | |
| Virginia | slower*
| 46.2-804(1) | 46.2-842.1 requires vehicles in the left lane to yield to faster traffic |
| Washington | usually
| 46.61.100(2) | May also use left lane to allow traffic to merge or "when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow". |
| West Virginia | slower
| 17C-7-1(b) | |
| Wisconsin | slower
| 346.05(3) | |
| Wyoming | slower
| 31-5-201(b) | Law excepts "one-way streets". Effective July 1, 2005, it is illegal block traffic moving within the speed limit by driving in the left lane for a long time. |
|
