money Is it OK to drive in the left lane in SC? Here’s what the law says
Think you can just cruise along in the left lane on South Carolina interstates and other controlled highways?
Think again.
You could face a $25 fine if you’re doing anything other than passing another car.
The so-called slow poke law went into effect in mid-August 2021. In the first year, almost 500 tickets were written, the South Carolina Highway Patrol reported.
Like seat seat belt violations or speeding, if an officer sees you doing it, you might be seeing blue lights in your rear-view mirror.
Little known, though, are the exceptions. Among them:
When no other vehicle is directly behind you
When traffic conditions make it impractical to drive in the right lane
When snow and other inclement weather makes it safer to drive in the left lane
If obstructions or hazards are in the right lane
To get out of the way of law enforcement, ambulances, or highway maintenance and construction operations
But be assured, such tickets don’t go on your driving record or result in a criminal record. The state doesn’t contact your insurer about it.
And state law explicitly says your car can‘t be searched.
It could be worse. You could live in Illinois where Illinois State Police can slap you with a $120 fine. They’ve had the law since 2004 and in 2019 posted on Facebook about a new enforcement campaign. They called it #LeftLaneLollygaggersBeware and put officers in unmarked cars to find offenders.
In Georgia, such a violation is severe. You could face $1,000 in fines, three points on your license and an increase in your insurance premiums if you’re deemed to be impeding traffic.
Georgia’s law has been in effect since 2014.
Other states with bigger fines are Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and West Virginia.
Not to be outdone, the S.C. Senate has approved raising the fine to $100 and sent the bill onto the House. It should come before the House in the next session, which begins in January.
