New legislation passed in Indiana will require drivers who are obeying the speed limit in the left lane to move over for faster drivers or risk paying a $500 fine.
The new law goes into effect July 1 and it gives faster drivers the right of way. A driver that does not move over into the left-hand lane when they have a reasonable expectation that another driver is trying to overtake them can be ticketed. For truck drivers, especially those who are governed, this new law could make life on the road much more difficult.
Exceptions for the law include traffic congestion, bad weather, while exiting on the left, paying a toll or pulling over for an emergency vehicle.
The law passed, but not without contest. State Sen. Karen Tallian called the new law “the silliest, most unjustifiable proposal of the entire session.” Senator Jim Tomes says that the law is unenforceable, requiring police to choose to pull over and ticket a person driving the speed limit instead of someone breaking speeding laws.
The law passed in the Indiana House 97-0 and in the Senate by a 29-20 vote.