DRIVERS have been warned that they risk $100 fines and even jail time over a common driving mistake which many “don’t know” is illegal.
Experts spot motorists making the error “all day every day” but officials are now making a push to stamp it out.
Drivers could face hefty fines and jail time for poor lane discipline[/caption]
Millions of drivers in Louisiana could find themselves in hot water for what they might consider perfectly normal driving.
It may come as a shock to some that the state actually has relatively stringent laws about lane discipline on multi-lane roads.
Tonya Bergeron, a New Orleans resident and co-owner of the NOLA Driving Institute, explained that plenty of drivers are completely oblivious to the rules.
She told 4WWL News: “I think that they, a lot of people, do not know that it’s a real law.
“People get angry about it.
“You will see people driving in the left lane all day, every day, wherever you go you’ll see it.”
What is ‘Road Rage’?
While road rage is often defined by an aggressive reaction to another driver’s actions, it could be dangerous.
The NHTSA says road rage is different from aggressive driving, as it comes down to intention. The agency says many state laws include intent to harm as part of a road rage or reckless driving offense.
“Although some States have passed laws criminalizing aggressive driving, it should not be confused with road rage, which is an intentional assault by a driver or passenger with a motor vehicle or a weapon that occurs on the roadway or is precipitated by an incident on the roadway,” the agency writes.
“Aggressive drivers, as distinct from aggressive driving, often can be identified as those who violate traffic laws repeatedly or whose violations lead to crashes producing serious injury or death.”
Actions that define road rage in many states are behaviors like trying to run another driver off the roadway, using their vehicle to cause another driver to crash, speeding, weaving in and out of traffic lanes, or threatening and/or using a dangerous weapon.
Source: NHTSA
The common practice has actually been banned in Louisiana since 1962, with the current version of the law in place since 2009.
The rules state that drivers should not stay in the left-hand lane for extended periods of time, especially if this blocks other road users.
This is known as “lane hogging” and can carry a fine of up to $100 and a 30-day jail sentence if you are caught holding up traffic.
And if you block an emergency vehicle, you could also fall foul of the state’s “move over” law, resulting in a $200 fine.
Instead, drivers should only every use the far-left lane for a short time in order to overtake a slow-moving vehicle.
If a car in one of the inside lanes is going below the speed limit, it is perfectly legal to move to the outside to overtake them.
As soon as the overtake is completed and there is enough space to safely move back to the inside you should do so.
As always, you must stay within the speed limit and make proper signals before each manoeuvre.
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker added: “It is a law but at the end of the day it’s just common courtesy.
“Road rage is a thing just in general.
“A ticket is not an answer to every situation but certainly there’s going to be pretty good enforcement component to this.”
