Florida drivers could soon be fined for driving in the left lane on I-75

A bill aimed at easing congestion on roadways and interstates in Florida is getting mixed reviews from drivers right here in Southwest Florida.

HB 317, sponsored by Representative Jenna Persons-Mulika from Fort Myers, would fine anyone using the far-left lane on roads with a speed limit of at least 65 miles per hour or higher besides passing other vehicles, with some exceptions.

Lee County driver Mercado Abed said he’s experienced his fair share of issues when it comes to being behind a driver in the left lane on I-75 who is going slower than the posted speed limit.

“Just happened right now. I can’t say bad words, right? Some idiot was driving at 55 miles per hour. That causes accidents because the speed lane is the left lane. You can’t go 55 miles per hour in the speed lane. It’s an accident,” Abed said.

Abed thinks the bill is a good solution for solving that problem. Rosalie Markus is another driver who agrees.

She said it’s annoying when she has somewhere to go and someone is in the left lane slowing down the drivers behind them.

“It’s very frustrating, you know. I know where I have to go, and I want to go there, and these people, I think, are just doing a Sunday drive on a Tuesday or something,” Markus said. “If it helps the traffic, I think that would be great.”

Captain-Watney Charles said he travels from Port Charlotte to Lee County every day for work, so he uses I-75 on a daily basis.

“People in the left lane really slow up traffic and if they’re driving slow, they just keep everything going slow, and instead of being in the right two lanes, they tend to go to the left lane and get in the way,” Charles said. “I just think it’s better off if they keep the left lanes for people who are moving faster than 70 or 75 so traffic could flow.”

He disagrees with Abed and Markus when it comes to this bill being the solution.

“That’ll actually slow everything down if the left lane was closed off, and you can’t drive on the left lane. People in the right lane who are not traveling at a greater rate of speed are just gonna slow everybody up. So, traffic will be more congested,” Charles said. “The left lane is for the fast lane in Florida. I just think it’s a bad idea and they should just leave it for the people that drive who are going 70 and traveling straight on 75.”

WINK News brought those concerns to FCGU Civil Engineering Professor Claude Villiers.

He said those concerns are valid, but he thinks if this law is applied in the right areas, it could make traffic flow a lot smoother and faster.

“Actually a good number of states have implemented it. Obviously, it has a good benefit to it. I think it would help this community with mobilization of traffic. As we know, traffic congestion has become an issue,” Villiers said. “I think if it’s used for the right purpose and implemented in the right area, we can actually have a good amount of traffic flow that flows better and also improve safety.”

Villiers said the jury is still out on whether I-75 is one of those areas that would benefit from it.

“I’m a bit concerned, without really doing a very thorough analysis to see how effective it is because at the end of the day, you want to really do this to improve traffic flow and safety, and if you really do an analysis, and you cannot guarantee this, it may not be the best alternative way to do it,” Villiers said.

The bill is not a law yet, but if it becomes law, drivers would be fined $158 if they’re not in the left lane for the following exceptions:

• You are overtaking and passing another vehicle
• You’re about to exit the road, street or highway
• You’ve been directed to by law enforcement or an official traffic control device