It was a busy summer for road travel with both Memorial Day and Independence Day predicted to have set new holiday car travel records. Even though the kids have gone back to school and the summer travel season has wrapped up now that we’ve turned the calendar to fall, the roads will still be busy with those headed off of do some tailgating, apple picking and leaf peeping.
Keeping that traffic moving is an important factor in keeping everyone on the road safe, and new AAA polling is revealing how often slower drivers in the left-hand lane create problems. Stop-and-go, sudden stop, and logjam traffic backups are all situations where crashes can occur as vehicles are in close proximity at high speeds or changing speeds. Backups can be caused by slower drivers, failing to move back to the right lane after passing. That can create dangerous and aggressive behaviors among other drivers (tailgating, passing on the right, veering from lane to lane) who are unable to get by.
Virginia’s Left Lane Law, which was updated in 2017 to add a fine to the violation, specifies that the left lane is for passing. Driving in the left lane under the speed limit or slower than other traffic on the road, and failing to return to the right lane after passing, is illegal and punishable by a fine of $100.
One of the most dangerous problems is when aggressive driving turns into road rage. According to the Gun Violence Archive, road rage incidents on U.S. roads are on the rise, with 83 incidents reported in 2014 and 456 in 2023. That’s a 449% increase over 10 years.
Over the weekend, AAA Mid-Atlantic kicked off a football-themed campaign at the Virginia Tech game to try and tackle the issue of slow driving in the left lane here in the commonwealth. The Don’t Fumble the Pass initiative reminds drivers to move back to the right lane after passing on the left.
There’s no definitive Virginia-specific data on how many crashes or fatalities can be traced back to slow drivers in the left lane as crash and citation reports don’t always note that information, but AAA polling reveals it is a growing concerns for drivers.
A AAA Mid-Atlantic Poll* of drivers in Virginia, found that:
- 49% of respondents reported regularly see slower drivers in the left lane creating slowdowns or backups on interstates and highways, with 23% saying they see it daily. Another 35% report “occasionally” seeing it on the roads.
- 50% say the action of staying in the left lane longer than needed to pass is dangerous, with nearly 1 out of 5 drivers saying it’s “very dangerous.”
- 57% of respondents have reported “often” witnessing dangerous behaviors like tailgating, aggressive driving and passing on the right due to slower drivers in the left lane with 27% reporting they see it happen “daily.”
“The survey results are eye-opening in that many Virginia drivers admit to seeing slower drivers in the left lane impeding the traffic flow and have witnessed dangerous behaviors by other drivers because of it,” says Morgan Dean, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
Eighty-one percent of respondents said their friends and family would disapprove of driving slower in the left hand lane to slow down other drivers, with 58% saying their friends and loved ones would “strongly disapprove.” Surprisingly, 10% of respondents admitted they had stayed in the left lane longer than needed in order to punish another driver’s behavior or to slow down faster drivers.
Even if there isn’t specific traffic crash data on left lane loafers, aggressive and dangerous driving behaviors, that can be a side effect of slower drivers in the left hand lane or improper passing, are a factor in many crashes.
In 2021, according to The National Safety Council’s Injury Facts report, improper lane usage, aggressive driving, erratic lane changing, and following improperly were factors in 10% of all fatal crashes. In Virginia alone in 2022, according to DMV, 1,568 crashes were related to someone passing improperly.
“We want Virginians to follow all traffic laws,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “Staying courteous, obeying speed limits, giving enough room when passing, not tailgating, and remaining focused on the road are all crucial in ensuring everyone gets to their destination safely.”
Virginia Law
In the AAA survey, just 26% of Virginia drivers knew the Commonwealth had a left lane law. Seventy-three percent said Virginia didn’t have a law or they were unsure if the state had a law.
Staying to the right also allows emergency vehicles and law enforcement officers to move by quickly and safely to respond to a call.
An exception to staying in the left lane longer than it would take to pass another vehicle would be when a driver is following the state’s Move Over law. AAA successfully advocated for last year’s change to Virginia’s Move Over law to include all stationary vehicles. As of July 1, 2023, drivers passing a stopped emergency vehicle displaying red, blue or amber lights, or a stopped vehicle displaying hazard lights, a warning sign or flares, a driver should slow down and move over a lane to the left, if possible, to help protect those who are on the roadside.
Speeding Isn’t the Answer
We don’t want to downplay the dangers of speed, and a left lane law should not be interpreted as permission to drive above the speed limit. In Virginia, 449 people were killed in speed related crashes last year.
“Speed was a factor in 20% of all crashes and 50% of all traffic crash fatalities in Virginia in 2023. The faster a vehicle is going, the harder it is for a driver to get it down to a survivable speed before impact,” says Dean.
AAA Encourages all drivers to:
- Buckle Up, everyone, every time
- Obey the speed limits
- Be courteous, use turn signals, allow space when passing and to stay right when not passing
- Avoid and limit distractions
- Don’t Drive impaired
*The AAA survey of 639 drivers in VA was conducted March 20 & 21, 2024 by Public Policy Polling. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.9%.