GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Here's everyone's favorite topic: Left-lane drivers.

State police plan an education and enforcement campaign to keep highway drivers in the right with left lane used for passing.

It should be welcomed by many.

Have a traffic question? Email Lt. Rob Davis and the troopers at the Lakeview and Rockford posts at MSP-AskTpr@michigan.gov

Here's Rob Davis:

The start of March begins our yearly "South Paw Initiative" in which we concentrate enforcement and educational efforts on those aggravating left-lane drivers. I know from last year's initiative it was clear that many motorist simply don't know the law. I also know there has been some push by legislators in Michigan to clarify the law which would be good.

Lt. Rob Davis

Until we get that change we still operate under MCL 257.634. This section covers lane use and essentially states that on any roadway having two or more lanes for travel in one direction, you must stay in the right lane unless passing, making a left hand turn (doesn't apply to freeway), or if traffic is so heavy that the additional lane of travel is needed.

Bottom line for the expressway, if you're traveling in the left lane and not actively passing, you need to get over.

State police diagram

Understand that I'm not talking about those dreaded lines we all end up in where the front car is actively passing and we're just waiting our turn. I'm really referring to that car that is hanging out in the left lane, not passing and going 10 under the posted speed limit.

The e-mails I received from motorists last year often talked about how speeding vehicles trap them behind slower moving vehicles, and that's why they're out in the left lane.

State police diagram

Like I indicated last year, I understand that argument and I've been that poor soul waiting for two miles of traffic to pass. But again it's about safety; the little time you lose being stuck behind someone is not worth getting tangled up with a speeding or aggressive driver.

You'll also note that this law doesn't apply in those situations where there is so much traffic that both lanes are needed to handle the volume; an example might be a holiday weekend. But even in those situations, if there is an open area and you're holding up traffic, please move over and let them by.

The law also doesn't apply to freeways with three or more lanes, except for commercial vehicles over 10,000lbs, which must stay in the right two lanes (unless they have to exit to the left of course).

I'll make sure to follow-up and let you know how many verbal warning and tickets we issue during this initiative, but our overall goal is to educate so we can get that traffic moving.