Georgia House of Representatives - 1995/1996 Sessions

HB 1369 - Motor vehicles; left-hand lanes; restrict usage; penalties

Page Numbers - 1/ 2

Code Sections - 40-6-184

1. Grindley  35th         2. Snow  2nd               3. Johnson  84th
4. Snelling  99th


House Comm: Trans      /                Senate Comm:            /                                   
House Vote: Yeas       Nays             Senate Vote: Yeas     Nays                                  
              ----------------------------------------                                              
               House          Action         Senate                                                 
              ----------------------------------------                                              
              1/23/96  Read 1st Time                                                                
              1/24/96  Read 2nd Time                                                                
              2/15/96  Favorably Reported                                                           
              Sub      Committee Amend/Sub                                                          
              ----------------------------------------                                              
                                                                                                    
Code Sections amended: 40-6-184, 40-6-184.1                                                         


HB 1369                                           LC 24 0421S






                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                               AN ACT


  1- 1  To amend Article 9 of Chapter 6 of Title 40  of the Official
  1- 2  Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to motor vehicle speed
  1- 3  restrictions, so as to provide for declaration of policy and
  1- 4  legislative intent; to provide for restricted usage of
  1- 5  left-hand lanes of roadways; to impose penalties for
  1- 6  improper usage of such left hand lanes; to provide for
  1- 7  related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
  1- 8  purposes.
Motor vehicles; left-hand lanes; restrict usage; penalties 1369t
  1- 9       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

                         SECTION 1.

  1-10  Article 9 of Chapter 6 of Title 40  of the Official Code of
  1-11  Georgia Annotated, relating to motor vehicle speed
  1-12  restrictions, is amended by striking Code Section 40-6-184,
  1-13  relating to minimum vehicle speed, and inserting in lieu
  1-14  thereof two new Code sections to read as follows:

  1-15    "40-6-184. (Index)

  1-16    (a)(1) No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a
  1-17    slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement
  1-18    of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for
  1-19    safe operation.

  1-20    (2)(b) In order to protect public safety, reduce traffic
  1-21    hazards, and improve reasonable traffic flow on the
  1-22    increasingly busy roadways of this state, usage of the
  1-23    left lane or lanes of a roadway is restricted as follows:

  1-24      (1) On roads, streets, or highways with two, three, or
  1-25      four or more lanes allowing for movement in the same
  1-26      direction, no person shall continue to operate a motor
  1-27      vehicle in the most left-hand lane at less than the
  1-28      maximum lawful speed limit once such person knows or
  1-29      should reasonably know that he or she is being overtaken
  1-30      in such lane from the rear by a motor vehicle traveling
  1-31      at a higher rate of speed, except when such motor




                                 -1- (Index)

                                                 LC 24 0421S

  2- 1      vehicle is preparing for a left turn or is experiencing
  2- 2      an emergency situation.

  2- 3      (2) On roads, streets, or highways with five or more
  2- 4      lanes allowing for movement in the same direction, no
  2- 5      person shall operate a motor vehicle in either of the
  2- 6      two most left-hand lanes once such person knows or
  2- 7      should reasonably know that he or she is being overtaken
  2- 8      in such lane from the rear by a motor vehicle traveling
  2- 9      at a higher rate of speed, except when such motor
  2-10      vehicle is preparing for a left turn or is experiencing
  2-11      an emergency situation.

  2-12    (b) Whenever the commissioner of public safety or the
  2-13    commissioner of transportation or local authorities
  2-14    determine on the basis of any engineering and traffic
  2-15    investigation that slow speeds on any part of a road under
  2-16    their respective jurisdictions impede the normal and
  2-17    reasonable movement of traffic, such commissioners
  2-18    jointly, or such local authorities, may determine and
  2-19    declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall
  2-20    drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation,
  2-21    and that limit shall be effective when posted upon fixed
  2-22    or variable signs.

  2-23    (c) Every person convicted of improper lane usage as
  2-24    described in subsection (b) of this Code section shall be
  2-25    guilty of a traffic violation and, upon conviction
  2-26    thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed
  2-27    $500.00.

  2-28    40-6-184.1.

  2-29    Whenever the commissioner of public safety, the
  2-30    commissioner of transportation, or local authorities
  2-31    determine on the basis of any engineering and traffic
  2-32    investigation that slow speeds on any part of a road under
  2-33    their respective jurisdictions impede the normal and
  2-34    reasonable movement of traffic, such commissioners,
  2-35    jointly, or such local authorities may determine and
  2-36    declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall
  2-37    drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation,
  2-38    and that limit shall be effective when posted upon fixed
1        or variable signs."

                         SECTION 2.

  2-40  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
  2-41  repealed.



                                 -2- (Index)