A new Louisiana bill, Senate Bill 11, aims to impose stricter penalties on drivers who block the left lane by driving under the speed limit. Proposed by Alexandria Sen. Jay Luneau, the bill seeks to enhance road safety and reduce driver frustration.
“We’ve all encountered that at sometimes in our life where two peoo;e are driving side by side on a four-lane highway, and it causes a backlog of traffic but more importantly it creates danger,” said Luneau.
The bill eliminates the requirement that drivers must be at least 10 mph under the speed limit to be in violation, applying instead to any vehicle traveling below the posted limit in the left lane.
Luneau says it’s a commonsense approach: “If you’re going one or two miles an hour faster than the other person, as long as you’re still passing that’s legal.”
Luneau proposed the bill after consulting with state troopers, who found the current law difficult to enforce. He argues that left-lane hogging increases accidents and congestion.
“In essence what they would have to do is have to run radar on both the vehicle and its just a very technical and difficult way to do it,” he said.
Luneau says fines range from $150 for a first-time offense to $350 or 30 days in jail for a third offense.
