Everyone has list of driving pet peeves. For many people, slower traffic driving in the left lane on a highway is at the top of that list.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is hoping a new signage project can educate drivers about traffic flow laws.

Last week the Oklahoma Transportation Commission approved using federal dollars to place signs along Interstate 35 and 40 in rural areas directing drivers to not impede traffic in the left lane and for slower traffic to stay in the right lane.

“The signs are in support of state law that requires slower drivers to be conscious of passing traffic by moving to the right and impeding the left lane,” the commission said in a press release after the meeting.

ODOT Traffic Engineer Dave Glabas is charged with overseeing the project.

“This is not unique, this is a fairly standard practice in other states,” Glabas said.

Glabas said he is excited for the project, which will be put out for bids in January 2017. Actual signs will be placed in the spring.

“And they’ll be placed every five miles,” Glabas said.

State law says slower traffic needs to stay in the right lane.

“Not all state laws we can put on signs,” Glabas said. “The reason this one has been elevated is the public is very passionate about this. Some people know the law and others don’t, in the public’s mind that causes frustration.”

He said ODOT has receive numerous calls about the issue, asking them to do something about it.

These calls range from those frustrated by drivers using the left land for more than just passing to those traveling at the speed limit in the left lane complaining about other drivers tailgating their vehicle.

Some states do not have any laws on left lane traffic and other do not let drivers use the left lane for anything but passing.

“Oklahoma’s is a little bit looser than that. Ours is just don’t impede traffic when you’re over there,” Glabas said.

The law makes not mention of speed limits either. Just a statement that traffic in the left lane should not be impeded by slow moving traffic.

Oklahoma High Patrol Trooper Dwight Durant said many people are not aware of the law, or need a reminder.

“Drivers need to be in the right hand lane if they are going slower,” Durant said.

He felt the signs are better way of educating people about the law than OHP troopers pulling people over for impeding traffic.

As for those going the speed limit in the left lane while other try to speed around them, Durant still wants them to move into the right lane.

“It they’re speeding, leave that to us,” Durant said.

Ron Freeman, a driving instructor and the owner of Freeman Driving School in Moore, said he thinks the signs are a good idea.

He calls the right hand lane the slow lane or the hang-out lane when talking with his students.

Freeman has been a driving instructor for 43 years and he said ODOT has brought on many changes since her started teaching younger drivers, most of which he said have been positive.

“They’re trying to make it so that peopler more aware of what the rules and regulations are and the more they do that, the better it will be,” Freeman said.

He did say one reason people move into the left lane is road deterioration, especially on highways where largesemi-trucks use the right lanes almost exclusively.

“Trucks have a tendency to beat up the road,” Freeman said.

He said this especially true on I-40 near Henrietta and east of Shawnee, though ODOT is in the process of replacing the roads there.

“If you are driving the speed limit or under, you need to be in the right hand lane,” Freeman said. “Unfortunately, some people speed on the highway and cause accidents. But keeping slower traffic in the right lane could lessen those accidents.”

Glabas said traffic flow studies and safety studies both indicate keeping most traffic, especially slower traffic, in the right lane will help travel time and increase safety.

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