Michigan Introduces Bill to Prohibit Left-Lane Truck Travel
Drivers of heavy-duty vehicles may find their traveling abilities through the Great Lakes State, as legislators there have introduced a Bill that will, with limited exceptions, make it illegal for a vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds to use the leftmost lane on any highway that has two or more lanes.
Details
The Bill, known as House Bill 4522, is a very short Bill with one purpose: to reduce the number of lanes truckers can use on Michigan’s roads.
The Representative who introduced the Bill, William Bruck, says that it is a common sense solution to better raise the overall flow of traffic for all who drive on Michigan’s roads, at the expense of a slight inconvenience for truckers. In his own words:
“By ensuring that trucks stay in the right lanes, we can keep traffic flowing smoothly in the left lanes, promoting safer and more efficient transportation for all drivers. This legislation is a vital step toward reducing the frustration of long traffic lines on our busiest freeways.”
As to be expected, there are exceptions to the rule. Drivers can use the leftmost lanes in highways were this Bill to be passed:
- For a reasonable distance before making a left turn.
- Where special hazards require lane changes for safety.
- If lanes are closed due to construction or repair where the only available lane is the leftmost lane.
- Signs indicate an exception.
Conclusion
The implications for this Bill, were it to become law, are fairly straightforward: trucks would be inconvenienced due to having the number of available lanes cut from anywhere from 16% to 50%, but it would also make driving for trucks less haphazard as four-wheel vehicles can opt to drive in the leftmost lane and let commercial vehicles go about their business. The Bill does not prohibit cars from using the other lanes, however, so while truckers in Michigan may see fewer interactions with their smaller brethren, the amount would not decrease to zero.
Ultimately though, this Bill might die in the chamber halls and not become law. If it were to pass, it would become the seventh state in the nation to explicitly ban left-lane highway travel for heavy-duty trucks. Such states include Georgia, Virginia, and Florida.
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