TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Lane hogs beware — the Florida Legislature is coming for you. The full Florida House and Senate are now ready to consider bills prohibiting driving continuously in the left-most lane of most highways.
The legislation got a final unanimous committee approval in the upper chamber on Thursday.
If signed into law — the rules would prohibit cruising in the furthest left lane on multi-lane Florida roads with a 65 mph or greater speed limit. Instead, that channel of traffic would be reserved just passing or exiting. Drivers who don't listen could be hit with a fine of up to $158.
Backers of the idea have said it's not only safer it's more enforceable than laws already on the books.
"Before, you're in the left lane going slow — you'd have to have some kind of intent that you know you shouldn't have been over there," state Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, the Senate bill sponsor said. "How do you prove that in court? Now, it's just you can't be over there."
The legislation will still need the backing of both chambers to park itself on the governor's desk. If signed, it has an effective date of January 2025.
