Florida bill cracking down on left-lane drivers heads to governor for signature
Eric Daugherty contributed to this post
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida legislation banning vehicles from driving in the left traffic lane, excluding passing and turning, was approved by the Senate on Thursday.
The bill is now to be sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis for final approval.
Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, championed the bill, HB 317, in the upper chamber after it was originally sponsored by Reps. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, and Melony Bell, R-Fort Meade, in the House. Keith was the sponsor of the Senate’s prior companion bill.
The Senate passed the bill unanimously, 37-0.
The potential new law applies to roadways with two or more lanes and with a speed limit of at least 65 miles per hour.
Violators would face fines as defined by current state law for a moving violation.
It does not apply to high occupancy vehicle lanes, as outlined under existing law. It also exempts lanes already designated as left-turn lanes.
Emergency vehicles and maintenance or construction vehicles are additionally exempt.
Perry explained that the main reasoning behind the bill was to prevent right line passing that resulted in 247 incidences of deaths and incapacitations.
Some senators expressed concerns with hypothetical examples of three-lane traffic where the middle lane ends up going faster than the left most lane.
Perry responded, saying that even if an individual was caught up in middle lane that was moving faster, they could be subject to getting a traffic ticket.
