Just because you’re driving the same stretch of road as another driver, maybe even heading to the very same location, doesn’t necessarily mean you want to drive at the same speed. That can lead to huge frustration for faster drivers presented with a slower driver who just won’t get out of the way, and frustration can also lead to road rage and accidents.
Florida lawmakers have introduced a new bill that could potentially cut down on congestion, the number of accidents and incidences of road rage, and at the heart of it is a simple message backed up by the threat of fines if you don’t comply with its rules. The message is: keep right.
It really is as simple as that. Bill 254 proposes that drivers traveling on a road with a posted speed limit of 65 mph (105 km/h) or higher are not permitted to occupy the left hand lane unless they are passing another vehicle, in an HOV lane, preparing to take an exit on the left, following the guidance of an official traffic control device such as in roadworks, or driving an emergency vehicle.
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Under current Florida law drivers are allowed to cruise in the left lane, but must yield to drivers coming up behind at a faster speed. The problem is, many of those slower drivers just aren’t moving right even when there’s a NASCAR-style caravan of cars piling up behind them, but those slow, lane-blocking drivers could be punished under the new rules if the bill is passed.
This is far from the first time that Florida has tried to pass legislation banning left-lane use, however. Two similar bills were filed recently but didn’t clear the Senate or the House. One of the reasons given for their failure was that the new rules might confuse drivers who are aware of the existing “Move Over Act” that requires vehicles to move across one lane when law enforcement or emergency cars and trucks are parked on the right-hand shoulder.