ATLANTA — Slow drivers beware. And, keep out of the fast lane.
The state House this week approved a bill that would fine drivers $75 for impeding traffic by remaining in the left lane. The house voted 129-29 in favor of HB 1047, which now heads to the state Senate.
“This is a serious problem on our roads right now, and this seeks to help with that problem,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Rep. Mark Butler, R-Carrollton, as saying. “This is a safety issue. This is a traffic issue.”
Under the proposed law, a motorist cannot remain in the left lane of a road with two or more lanes if he or she is driving less than the posted speed limit and another, faster car approaches from behind. There is an exception for motorists preparing to make a left-hand turn.
“Driving in the correct lanes, at the correct speeds, has the possible effect of reducing crashes and increasing the vehicle-carrying capacity of our highways,” Bob Dallas, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, told Morris News Service.
If approved by the Senate and signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue, the law takes effect July 1.
Officials say the law is not intended to promote speeding, News/Talk 750 WSB reported.
Along those lines, the state’s “Super Speeder Law” went into effect Jan. 1. Under the law, anyone convicted of driving 75 miles per hour or more on a two-lane road or 85 miles per hour or more on any road in the state faces will be fined an additional $200 on top of local fines that may be leveled.