Connecticut Is Going After Slow Left-Lane Drivers

Lane discipline: It’s one of the many things that separates driving in the U.S. from driving in many other countries. Take to the highway in Germany, for example, and you’ll find that in general, the left lane is almost completely empty unless there’s heavy traffic or someone happens to be hitting top speed in a Maserati MC20. Plop yourself on an American interstate and you’ll encounter countless rolling roadblocks – people driving the exact same speed as adjacent traffic, regardless of if they’re in a passing lane or not. Connecticut aims to reduce that infuriating situation with new legislation that will allow police to ticket drivers who cruise along in the left lane of a multi-lane highway.

No More Camping Unless You’re Out In The Woods

Taking effect October 1, the Connecticut law specifically targets “camping,” meaning driving in the left lane without any intention to pass surrounding traffic. There are existing guidelines that discourage cruising in the number 1 lane, but speaking to the Connecticut Mirror, State Senator Christine Cohen called the advice in the state’s Vehicle Highway Use guidebook vague and ineffective.

Cohen, who sponsored the legislation, says the law will make that rule firmer, providing for both a reasonable education period before enforcement and a consistent punishment for drivers who don’t get the memo. The new legislation will apply to all drivers, but it’s specifically targeted toward those who impede traffic by cruising in the left lane for too long under the prevailing flow of the roadway. That said, driving at or above the speed limit won’t exempt drivers from the anti-camping law. Although there isn’t a set distance or speed parameter for enforcement, law enforcement officers will be able to use their best judgement in deciding whether a car is cruising in the left lane for too long.

Connecticut Joins The Right (Or Left) Side Of History

The Constitution State is only the latest in the Union to codify a traffic law that says to keep right and pass left. Its New York and Massachussetts neighbors have seen improved traffic flow since enforcing similar laws – in fact, Massachussetts requires its drivers to keep all the way right, yielding the left and center lanes to passing traffic. Colorado, Louisiana, Illinois, and other states also have laws on the books prohibiting freeway travel in the left lane unless passing slower traffic or taking a left exit, a standard that Connecticut will apply. Other exceptions will include the obvious: obstructions in the roadway, lane closures, and unsafe driving conditions in the right lane are reasonable reasons to travel on the left.

In the run-up to the new law, the state will engage in an education campaign to alert drivers of their soon-to-be-illegal habits. The Connecticut department of transportation will use freeway signage and digital billboards to raise awareness of the new law, while the mandatory driver education courses for new drivers will include it in the curriculum. The goal, according to Senator Cohen, will be to provide travelers in the state of Connecticut a less stressful driving experience, as well as reduced congestion and greater consistency when traveling throughout the Northeast.

Source: Connecticut Mirror