New Indiana law: Move over, slowpokes
INDIANAPOLIS | The never-ending battle over use of the left lane on interstate highways almost certainly is intensifying this Memorial Day weekend as millions of motorists travel to or through Indiana, the "Crossroads of America."
Speedy drivers tend to believe the left lane is reserved for them to pass all the slowpokes and trucks in the highway's right lane.
Meanwhile, motorists traveling the speed limit often insist they are free to use the left lane because it is illegal to drive any faster than they are going.
Who is right?
Come July 1, a new Indiana law enacted by Republican Gov. Mike Pence gives speeders the right-of-way and motorists obeying the speed limit in the left lane could get slapped with a fine.
House Enrolled Act 1305 permits police to issue $500 tickets to left lane drivers who fail to move into the right lane if they know, or should reasonably know, another vehicle is overtaking them ? even if the other vehicle is exceeding the speed limit.
State Rep. Jud McMillin, R-Brookville, said he sponsored the law to ensure "individuals who are driving in the fast lane slowly are properly incentivized to get out of your way."
The mandate does not apply during traffic congestion, bad weather, when exiting on the left, paying a toll or pulling over for an emergency vehicle, according to the new law.
But at all other times a motorist risks a fine if he or she is in the left lane and does not move to the right when another vehicle wants to pass.
The law was approved by the Republican-controlled House 97-0, but just barely passed the Republican-controlled Senate, 29-20.
State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, said during debate on the measure that it was "the silliest, most unjustifiable proposal of the entire session."
"It really doesn't make sense to put law-abiding citizens as the criminal here," Tallian said. "You can be driving down the road at 70 miles per hour, doing the speed limit, and some joker comes up behind you doing 90 and you're the one who gets the ticket?"
She also pointed out, along with state Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, that the new right-lane mandate likely won't be enforced since a police officer probably would pull over and ticket the speeding driver, instead of the person who does not get out of the speeder's way.
"It's really unenforceable, but it does go too far," Tomes said. "I just think this is not what we need."
Prior to passage of the new statute, Indiana law required vehicles traveling slower than the speed limit to use the right lane of a multi-lane highway, but did not regulate left lane driving.
Illinois law prohibits motorists from using the left lane of an interstate highway in all circumstances, except when passing other vehicles or traffic congestion, weather or road conditions necessitate left lane use.
INDIANAPOLIS | The never-ending battle over use of the left lane on interstate highways almost certainly is intensifying this Memorial Day weekend as millions of motorists travel to or through Indiana, the "Crossroads of America."
Speedy drivers tend to believe the left lane is reserved for them to pass all the slowpokes and trucks in the highway's right lane.
Meanwhile, motorists traveling the speed limit often insist they are free to use the left lane because it is illegal to drive any faster than they are going.
Who is right?
Come July 1, a new Indiana law enacted by Republican Gov. Mike Pence gives speeders the right-of-way and motorists obeying the speed limit in the left lane could get slapped with a fine.
House Enrolled Act 1305 permits police to issue $500 tickets to left lane drivers who fail to move into the right lane if they know, or should reasonably know, another vehicle is overtaking them ? even if the other vehicle is exceeding the speed limit.
State Rep. Jud McMillin, R-Brookville, said he sponsored the law to ensure "individuals who are driving in the fast lane slowly are properly incentivized to get out of your way."
The mandate does not apply during traffic congestion, bad weather, when exiting on the left, paying a toll or pulling over for an emergency vehicle, according to the new law.
But at all other times a motorist risks a fine if he or she is in the left lane and does not move to the right when another vehicle wants to pass.
The law was approved by the Republican-controlled House 97-0, but just barely passed the Republican-controlled Senate, 29-20.
State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, said during debate on the measure that it was "the silliest, most unjustifiable proposal of the entire session."
"It really doesn't make sense to put law-abiding citizens as the criminal here," Tallian said. "You can be driving down the road at 70 miles per hour, doing the speed limit, and some joker comes up behind you doing 90 and you're the one who gets the ticket?"
She also pointed out, along with state Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, that the new right-lane mandate likely won't be enforced since a police officer probably would pull over and ticket the speeding driver, instead of the person who does not get out of the speeder's way.
"It's really unenforceable, but it does go too far," Tomes said. "I just think this is not what we need."
Prior to passage of the new statute, Indiana law required vehicles traveling slower than the speed limit to use the right lane of a multi-lane highway, but did not regulate left lane driving.
Illinois law prohibits motorists from using the left lane of an interstate highway in all circumstances, except when passing other vehicles or traffic congestion, weather or road conditions necessitate left lane use.
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