Changes to driving laws and legislation are constantly under review, with changes regarding fining and other penalties oscillating becoming stricter in order to improve road safety or becoming more lax in order to reflect the realities of how people are driving on the road despite what the law may say. One area of contention on the road is regarding left-lane usage, with some states reserving it specifically for passing while others allowing you to cruise in it. This one state has recently made a significant update regarding how drivers may use the left lane.
Driving regulations and legislation constantly under review
Perhaps no other type of legislation is subject to constant change as much as driving laws and policies are. Keeping the roads safe is a continued priority for local, state, and federal governments and policy-makers. In addition, technological advancements to vehicles are also something lawmakers need to take into account, ensuring that current road-safety policies provide boundaries and guidelines for how to continue to use these advancements responsibly, particularly in an age which is pushing for automated driving technology.
This year, many states have seen significant updates to their driving policies penalties when you are caught breaking the law as well as law enforcement increasingly making use of automated camera technology to assist with enforcing these penalties. Florida recently approved a piece of legislation which not only increases fines for speeding drivers, but also aims to target excessive speeding by enforcing jail time for those drivers who are convicted for speeding over 50mph over the speed-limit in an effort to deter drivers from breaking the law and endangering the lives of other drivers on the road.
New left-lane and fining policies to begin in this state
If you are a resident of the state of Louisiana, a new piece of legislation has recently been approved and signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry which is set to go into effect from August 1 of this year. Senate Bill 11 in the Louisiana Senate will now see any driver who is driving below the speed limit in the left-lane be issued a fine. This is in order to stop drivers from cruising in the left-lane and enforcing the rule that you can only use the left-lane to pass another vehicle in the right-lane.
The fines have been updated as follows:
- 1st offense – $150
- 2nd offense – $250
- 3rd offense – $350 + possible jail time up to 30 days for multiple offenses
While fining policies are often aimed at targeting speeding, ensuring that individuals use the left-lane as intended by penalizing slower drivers in this lane is to ensure that traffic is able to flow smoothly and that collisions between slower and faster drivers do not occur in a lane intended for drivers to speed up.
Keeping the roads safe with updated policies
While updates to speeding regulations are not uncommon, new driving policies and pieces of legislation which are starting to need increased attention are regarding the use of automated technology in passenger vehicles. Currently, automated technology which does exist in vehicles is not full automation and still requires an active and present driver. However, with companies starting to pilot their full-automated driving programs, states are needing to update their regulations regarding this technology.
Austin, Texas has been the city of choice for multiple full-automated driving pilot programs, with Tesla’s cybercabs, Alphabet-owned Waymo, and Amazon-owned Zoox all currently underway in the city. However, the state has recently updated their automated driving legislation policies in order to clarify what safety policies these companies have in place for the use of these vehicles. With full-automation becoming a reality in the very near future, clarifying this is of the utmost importance in order to ensure the safety of all road users.
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