The New Jersey Left Lane Law

Summer is here, and it's time to give visitors to our state a refresher course on the left lane laws in New Jersey.

New Jersey drivers know that every once in a while, all year long, we get caught behind a driver who doesn't understand the concept of the left lane.

Left Lane Woes Are The Worst This Time Of Year

And when summer comes the problem seems to multiply exponentially. It's a little thing we refer to as out-of-town travelers.

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Yes, the tourist season has arrived in New Jersey, and we thought this would be a good time to offer a friendly reminder to the New Jersey drivers who don't know it, but mostly for the tourists, we will be sharing the roads with all summer long.

Read More: New Jersey's #1 Driving Pet Peeve

Let's start with the cost of not knowing New Jersey's left lane rules. If you break them, you could dig deep into your bank account for $100-$300, according to Davis, Sapersteing & Salamon.

New Jersey's Left Lane Rules

That's the fine for failure to keep right in New Jersey. Yes, that left lane tourists love so much, is designated for passing only, not driving 20 mph under the speed limit.

Here's how the McHugh & Imbornone, P.A. website explains New Jersey's left lane law,

Motorists are not permitted to drive in the left lane on highways unless they are passing another vehicle or driving in the right lane is impracticable. This law helps control the flow of traffic on busy New Jersey highways.
If there are three or more lanes on a highway, the leftmost lane is for passing. You are permitted to drive in the middle lane. However, slower drivers should stay in the right lane, so they do not impede the flow of traffic.