- Montana law requires slower drivers to let backed-up traffic through.
- 67-year-old rule applies when four or more vehicles are behind you.
- The idea is to stop frustrated drivers making risky passing maneuvers.
We’ve all been there, stuck behind an RV climbing a mountain road at a pace usually associated with man’s transformation from ape, wondering whether you’ll ever touch the speed limit again. In Montana, there’s actually a law designed to deal with exactly that situation. Glance in your mirror on a two-lane and count four or more cars stacked up behind you, and the state says it’s time to pull aside.
The rule has been around since 1959, but according to the Montana Highway Patrol, many drivers still don’t know it exists. On the books, it’s Montana Code Annotated 61-8-311. The law applies on two-lane roads where passing isn’t practical or safe and requires slower vehicles to move aside once a line of traffic starts building behind them.
Related: California Has Had It With Exotic Cars Hiding Behind Montana Plates
Specifically, the threshold is four vehicles. If you’re driving significantly slower than the surrounding flow of traffic and four or more vehicles have stacked up behind you, state law says you should use the next safe opportunity to let them pass.
That doesn’t mean slamming on the brakes and diving into a ditch. The law specifically references the nearest safe turnout area and also allows drivers to use a suitable shoulder if conditions permit. The key word throughout the legislation is safety.
Montana Highway Patrol Sergeant Philip Smart recently told NBC Montana that the rule is intended to keep traffic flowing and reduce frustration among drivers trapped behind slower vehicles.
Cutting Down On Risky Overtakes
The logic is fairly straightforward. The longer a queue grows, the more likely someone becomes impatient and attempts a risky passing maneuver. On winding rural highways, that’s exactly the kind of decision that can end badly.
The good news for anyone learning about the rule for the first time is that you’re probably not about to receive a hefty fine. According to Smart, most encounters tend to be educational rather than punitive.
“I understand that people are probably not super familiar with this rule,” Sergeant Smart told NBC Montana.
Montana isn’t the only US state with laws aimed at preventing rolling roadblocks, but the four-car threshold makes its approach unusually specific. So if you’re heading toward a Montana lake this summer with a camper, boat, or overloaded SUV, keep an eye on your mirrors.
