Can you get a ticket for driving too slowly in the left lane in NC? What state law says
The left lane is considered the passing lane on highways and interstates, but that doesn’t stop North Carolina drivers from puttering on the road.
While speeding remains a major issue in many cities, some states have recently passed laws that penalize people who drive too slowly.
A recent South Carolina law that went into effect in 2021 gave patrol officers the authority to issue $25 citations to drivers in the far left lane who are not trying to pass another vehicle.
Here is what North Carolina law says about driving too slowly in the left lane.
Can you get a ticket for driving too slowly in the left lane?
Yes, but it’s up to the officer who stops you to describe the reason for the citation.
According to state law, all drivers traveling at less than the maximum speed limit must stay in the right lane, unless they are passing another vehicle or preparing for a left hand turn, but North Carolina does not have a law that allows officers to ticket drivers for driving slow in the left lane, Master Trooper Christopher Casey with N.C. State Highway Patrol told The Charlotte Observer.
However, an officer could decide to issue a ticket for impeding traffic, something that state law prohibits.
“You could get a ticket for it, but the officer would have to articulate what they were doing to impede traffic versus just not going as fast as someone wanted them to,” Casey said, referring to driving slow in the left lane.
“Driving substantially under the posted speed limit is not itself unlawful. In fact, it is sometimes required.”
Can you get a ticket for speeding around a slow driver?
Although getting stuck behind a slow driver can be frustrating, it is illegal to speed to get around them in North Carolina, and you can get a ticket for it.
North Carolina follows absolute speed limits, meaning any person driving at a speed above the posted speed limit is in violation of the law and could be charged with a misdemeanor, according to Coast to Coast NC Law Group.
