Florida Senate committee advances a bill to crack down on left-lane cruising

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Cuba cars
Old cars in Havana, Cuba. Photo by Seán Kinane (May 2017).

A bill in the Florida Legislature would prevent motorists from staying in the left lane. It advanced through a Senate committee Wednesday.

On multilane highways, the leftmost lane is often considered to be a passing lane only. A bill called SB 464 would prevent motorists from cruising in the left lane except when passing or exiting. It would apply to highways with a speed limit of at least 65 miles per hour.

The bill’s sponsor Republican Senator Keith Perry said, “The big problem is that people are passing on the right-hand side because people are in the left lane, and so when you pass, that’s 17,000 accidents from passing on the right-side lane in 5 years and a lot of deaths in that. So, the goal is to have people stay out of the left lane, that’s not where you’re supposed to be driving, that’s more of a passing lane.”

If the bill passes it would become a noncriminal traffic infraction with a fine of up to $158.

SB 464 advanced through the Senate Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Appropriations Committee Wednesday morning on a vote of 12-1.

One Response to “Florida Senate committee advances a bill to crack down on left-lane cruising”

  1. Mel Schoonover

    I’ve been driving for over 70 years and have never seen an accident caused by right lane passing. I think this guy Perry should concentrate on Semi truck using the outside lane on the Interstate Highway doing close to 80 miles per hour. That is where the problem is. I wonder where the FHP is during normal driving, let alone looking for left lane cruisers. Why don’t these legislators think of something useful?

    Reply

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