michigan freeway file

State police plan to crack down on left-lane drivers on West Michigan freeways.

(MLive.com File Photo)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - State police plan a crackdown on left-lane drivers on West Michigan freeways.

Mostly, police want to educate motorists.

Many violators don't realize that the left lane is intended for vehicles that are passing - it's not a travel lane.

"It can be very frustrating," State Police Lt. Rob Davis said Wednesday, March 2.

Left-lane drivers can create long lines of vehicles behind them, "basically obstructing the traffic," he said.

State Police Sixth District Headquarters is planning an education and enforcement campaign after receiving numerous calls and online complaints about drivers in West Michigan using the left lane for regular travel, Davis said.

State Police troopers assigned to the Rockford and Lakeview posts will be on the lookout for "south paw drivers" on all major freeways in West Michigan.

The enforcement project will run through the end of April.

Police say that slower drivers in the left lane disrupt traffic flow and can create dangers "as frustrated motorists attempt risky maneuvers to get around the log jam."

Davis said drivers sometimes take chances to get around slow drivers in the left lane. It poses a danger on the highway and can lead to road rage.

"It can cause that kind of frustration," he said.

Davis, commander of the Lakeview post, and Lt. Chris McIntire, in charge of the Rockford post, say the idea is to educate motorists.

Troopers say drivers stopped for driving in the left lane usually don't know that it's intended for passing.

"People are just not aware they need to be in the right-hand lane unless passing," Davis said.

Davis expected that motorists who observe the law will be happy to hear about the crackdown.

Though motorists can be cited, the project is "education-focused," Davis said.

Police will target left-lane drivers on two-lane freeways.

Here's the law:

MCL 257.634 covers lane use. Specifically, subsections (2) and (3) apply to the use of the left-hand lane by traffic.



(2) Upon a roadway having 2 or more lanes for travel in 1 direction, the driver of a vehicle shall drive the vehicle in the extreme right-hand lane available for travel except as otherwise provided in this section. However, the driver of a vehicle may drive the vehicle in any lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction of travel when the lanes are occupied by vehicles moving in substantially continuous lanes of traffic and in any left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction of travel for a reasonable distance before making a left turn.

(3) This section shall not be construed to prohibit a vehicle traveling in the appropriate direction from traveling in any lane of a freeway having 3 or more lanes for travel in the same direction. However, a city, village, township, or county may not enact an ordinance which regulates the same subject matter as any provision of this subsection. The driver of a truck with a gross weight of more than 10,000 pounds, a truck tractor, or a combination of a vehicle and trailer or semitrailer shall drive the vehicle or combination of vehicles only in either of the 2 lanes farthest to the right, except for a reasonable distance when making a left turn or where a special hazard exists that requires the use of an alternative lane for safety reasons.

(4) A person who violates this section is responsible for a civil infraction.

On a non-freeway road, or a freeway with only two lanes in one direction, all traffic is limited to the right-hand lane with the following exceptions:

* For a reasonable distance prior to a left turn

* When passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction

* When traffic is heavy enough that the use of additional lanes is necessary



On a freeway with three or more lanes in one direction, traffic may use any of the lanes available with the exception of large trucks, which are limited to the right two lanes except when preparing to exit to the left, or when avoiding a hazard.



Additionally, MCL 257.676b prohibits a vehicle from impeding the flow of traffic. Under this section, a driver that intends to be in the left lane through one of the exceptions above still needs to allow traffic to flow, and that driving in the left-hand lane below the prevailing speed of traffic would be a violation.

John Agar covers crime and other issues for MLiveE-mail John Agar: jagar@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterJAgar