TRANSPORTATION MATTERS for IOWA

Roadside Chat - Pass on left, get it right


10-20 pass on leftWhich lane should you be in when driving on a four-lane highway?  From the comments we get on social media, slow left-lane drivers are a major pet peeve. But what’s the real safety story?

All drivers are safest when they are traveling at a safe speed. Driving too fast or too slow based on the speed of the others around you can increase the danger for everyone in the area.

There seems to be some confusion about “slow lanes” and “fast lanes” on four-lane roads. Legal terminology can be difficult to understand but in a nutshell, Iowa Code 321.297 says that you should drive in the right lane if you are driving slower than the normal speed of traffic, unless you are passing or turning left.

Here’s a great video explaining the issue. https://youtu.be/4oqfodY2Lz0?si=XatXsac4LjQ0NGaS

So far this year in Iowa, 298 people have been killed in traffic crashes. That’s an increase of six since last Friday. In Iowa in 2022, there were 338 traffic-related deaths. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf

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