Bill would target drivers staying in furthermost left-hand lane

Tired of people hogging the left lane on the highway? The Florida Legislature may come up behind you with a new bill banning the practice.

HB 317, Interstate Safety, sponsored by Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, would fine anyone using the far-left lane on roads with speed limits of 65 mph or more for anything besides passing other vehicles, with some exceptions.

“All of us who travel back and forth to Tallahassee experience frustration on the major highways and frustration caused by drivers impeding the flow of traffic in the left lane,” Persons-Mulicka said. “This creates a dangerous situation, when drivers unnecessarily camp out in the left lane. It leads to blocking traffic flow, less predictability, more encounters, more passing maneuvers and more opportunities for accidents.”

The Transportation & Modals subcommittee approved the bill last week and it has been sent to the Infrastructure Strategies committee. A virtually identical Senate bill, SB 258, sponsored by Gainesville Sen. Keith Perry, R-District 9, has been referred to the Transportation, Criminal Justice and Rules committees for consideration during the 2024 legislative session, which will start Jan. 9.

Buckle up, here’s what you need to know.

What is HB 317? Does it ban driving in the left lane in Florida?

Under the proposed bill, drivers would be prohibited from driving in the furthermost left-hand lane or a roadway with two or more lanes and a posted speed limit of at least 65 mph unless:

You are overtaking and passing another vehicle You’re about to exit the road, street or highway You’ve been directed to by law enforcement or an official traffic control device

This does not apply to emergency, maintenance or construction vehicles, and drivers would still be permitted to use the left land to avoid obstructions in the road.

What if the left lane is marked for high-occupancy (HOV) use?

If the left lane is a high-occupancy (HOV) lane or a designated turn lane, the furthermost left lane is the lane immediately to the right of that.

How much would you be fined for driving in the left lane if the bill passes?

The bill would set non-criminal moving violation fines of up to $158.

Has this been tried before?

At least three times in the Florida Legislature. Two similar bills were filed for the 2023 session but didn’t clear the Senate or the House.

A Senate analysis last year found that there was concern that the proposed law would confuse motorists regarding the existing “Move Over Act,” which requires drivers to move over a lane when possible or slow down for stopped law-enforcement and emergency vehicles, sanitation and utility vehicles and tow trucks.

The “Move Over Act” was expanded this year to include broken-down or stopped vehicles, with the change going into effect on January 1, 2024.

Is it legal to drive in the left lane in Florida?

As long as no one is driving faster than you are. Florida Statute 316.081 requires drivers to move out of the left lane if a faster-moving vehicle is coming up behind them (failure to do so is a noncriminal moving violation) but doesn’t stop you from cruising there otherwise.

Which states have left-lane or ‘keep right’ driving laws?

Every state has some restrictions about driving in the left lane, generally involving speeds compared to the rest of the drivers, moving aside for faster drivers or blocking traffic. It is illegal to drive in the left lane except for turning left or passing in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and West Virginia, according to AutoInsurance.org.

If passed, when would the no-driving-in-the-left-lane law go into effect in Florida?

January 1, 2025.