Earlier this week Governor Mike Pence signed a new law which is intended to prevent slower vehicles from remaining in the left lane of multi-lane highways and blocking faster traffic from passing. This law, taking effect July 1, will require motorists obeying the speed limit in the left lane to move to the right to allow faster vehicles to pass them or risk a fine of up to $500. Indiana State Representative Jud McMillin stated that the purpose behind this law is to improve safety for all drivers by requiring slower drivers to move over in order to allow reasonable overtaking by faster drivers on highways. Although, the law unanimously passed in the Indiana House with a 97-0 vote, Indiana State Senator Karen Tallian voiced her objection to the new law as she felt that the law would criminalize the act of following the speed limit, in favor of allowing faster drivers who readily violate the speed limit while driving on multi-lane highways to continue to violate speeding laws while overtaking slower vehicles. Ultimately, the new law is an extension of an older Indiana Code provision in which slow vehicles were required to travel in the right lane of multi-lane highway, but did not address penalties for driving in the left lane.
Although this new law may prevent congested multi-lane highways where faster drivers are forced to overtake others from the right lane, future concerns may arise when determining liability in speeding accidents, as a driver traveling at the speed limit may be found statutorily negligent during the collision for not moving to the right lane by law. Therefore, it is important that when traveling during the busy summer months that motorists always pay attention to the surrounding flow of traffic when determining which lane to proceed in when traveling on multi-lane highways. For more information on how we can help if you or a loved one are involved in an accident with reckless or negligent drivers, please contact our experienced legal team at 888-578-3100 or at Schillerlawoffices.com.
Source: Indianapolis Star