JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The push to make the left lane on major Florida highways a passing lane only is cruising in the fast lane this year.
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The bill just cleared the full House Thursday and now just needs to be passed by the Florida Senate.
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Seemingly everyone has an opinion on highway drivers who cruise in the left lane and refuse to move over.
“I think it’s kind of selfish,” said Jacksonville driver Win thomas.
“Oh, I can’t stand them,” said Tennessee resident Loraine Monroe, who had stopped at a Jacksonville rest stop on her way back North.
After sputtering out last year, the push to prohibit left lane cruising is back with a full tank of gas.
“We won’t call it the fast lane, but it’s moving along,” said bill sponsor state Senator Keith Perry.
RELATED: ‘Stop it now!’: Bill to make left lane passing-only in Florida refiled for 2024 legislative session
Perry’s bill would make Florida the 9th state to require the left lane on major roads with posted speeds of 65 miles an hour or higher to be used as a passing lane only.
Currently in Florida, you can cruise in the left lane, but you’re supposed to move over to allow faster traffic to pass.
Perry said it’s all too common that doesn’t happen, and the results can be deadly.
“Last year we had 247 instances where people were either incapacitated or deaths that happened from improper passing on the righthand side on someone’s blindside,” said Perry.
There were also more than 17,000 accidents caused by improper passing during that same five year span.
RELATED: ‘Hell no:’ Florida bill banning left-lane cruising sparks mixed reactions
Under Perry’s bill, left lane cruisers could be slapped with a minimum $60 ticket and max penalties could reach $158.
In Graham Godfrey’s native country of England, they may drive on the left side of the road, but drivers know to stay out of the left lane.
“The left lane is just the passing lane,” said Godfrey.
He experienced some left lane culture shock driving on Florida roads during his vacation, but he told Action News Jax if Perry’s bill passes, he’d gladly make another trip down from his current home in Delaware.
“Yeah, I’ll be more inclined to come back I think,” said Godfrey.
Senator Perry said he expects the bill will likely be on its way to the Governor’s desk before the end of next week.
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If signed into law, the change would take effect on July 1, 2025, to give drivers time to learn about and adjust to the new rules of the road.
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