Is it illegal to drive slow in the left lane? Here’s what California law says
It’s 7:52 a.m. You’re late for work, again.
You speed through traffic. The red lights are taking too long to change.
You finally make it onto the freeway and go to cruise ahead of your fellow commuters when you get stuck in the left lane, behind a driver going just under the speed limit.
Getting around isn’t an option. You either get stuck in right lane behind a big rig or stay where you are. Either way, you’re not making it to work at 8.
Is the driver who is slowing you down actually breaking the rules, or just being inconsiderate?
Here what the rules are, according to California Highway Patrol:
California law for left lane driving
Section six of the California Driver’s Handbook states, “On a multilane road, the passing lane (far left lane) is the lane closest to the center divider and is used to pass other vehicles.”
Here are some tips for choosing a lane:
▪ Use the left lane to pass or turn left.
▪ Use the right lane to enter or exit traffic.
Can you be in the left lane if you’re not turning or passing?
Officer Margarito Meza, a spokesman for CHP, said you can drive in the far left lane on the highway even if you’re not passing another vehicle.
“Just as long as you’re going the maximum speed limit,” Meza said.
If you’re going slower, you can be ticketed.
“If a vehicle in the left lane is already driving 65 miles per hour, then they are by law going the maximum speed limit,” Meza said. “If someone behind them is driving 80 miles per hour, they (the slower vehicle) do not have to move over.”
Meza said it is common courtesy to let a faster vehicle pass you, but the slower one would not be in the wrong for being in the fast lane.
However, he said that if a vehicle is driving in the fast lane at a speed slower than the posted speed limit, that driver can be cited for a violation.
In California, Vehicle Code Section 21654 states, “If a vehicle is being driven at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction, and is not being driven in the right-hand lane for traffic, it shall constitute prima facie evidence that the driver is operating the vehicle in violation.”
This does not apply when the driver is:
▪ Overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction
▪ When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway
This story was originally published July 10, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Is it illegal to drive slow in the left lane? Here’s what California law says."
