State Sen. Dan Rutherford, who sponsored the bill, said in a prepared statement: “On a multi-lane highway, drivers who detain others in the left lane cause more problems than simply annoying the drivers who want to pass. Tailgating and congestion on our highways and Interstates lead to accidents, especially when road conditions are not that good. It also detains emergency service vehicles that may be caught in the back traffic.”
According to the statute, left lane drivers must get out of the way of someone coming up behind them even if that driver is breaking the speed limit. Rutherford says that if a slower vehicle in the left lane blocks a speeding driver, both will be breaking the law. The lead vehicle is obligated to move aside and let the following vehicle pass and allow law enforcement officials to give that speeder a ticket.
