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Left lane / keep right laws by state

People search “Left lane / keep right by state”, “Left lane / keep right laws by state”, and “Left lane map” when a road trip, boat, bike, or load is about to cross a line. This page is the 50-state index for left lane / keep right. Colors and quotes are written for someone in that state today, not for what that state demands of its own registered vehicles.

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How states differ

Keep right except to pass — left-lane hanging risk.

  • Strong keep-right / left-lane-for-passing culture
  • Keep-right or slower-traffic-keep-right statute exists
  • Weaker / less emphasized left-lane rules for travelers

Searches this page is meant to answer

If you typed any of these — or a close variant with a state name — this is the Crosstatelaws topic that should show up:

  • Left lane / keep right by state
  • Left lane / keep right laws by state
  • Left lane laws by state
  • Left lane / keep right map
  • Left lane / keep right traveling across state lines
  • does left lane / keep right change by state
  • keep right except to pass
  • left lane camping ticket
  • Left lane / keep right in California / Texas / Florida / New York
  • is left lane / keep right legal while traveling

All 50 states

One-line traveler summary for each state. Open the map for the quoted rule and footnotes.

Alabama (AL)
Alabama (Ala. Code § 32-5A-80): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Alaska (AK)
Alaska (Alaska Stat. § 28.35.140): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.
Arizona (AZ)
Arizona (A.R.S. § 28-721): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Arkansas (AR)
Arkansas (Ark. Code § 27-51-301): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
California (CA)
California (Cal. Veh. Code § 21654): drive in the right-hand lane when moving slower than traffic; left lane is for passing.
Colorado (CO)
Colorado (C.R.S. § 42-4-1013): left lane for passing; hanging in the left lane is a signed / statutory ticket.
Connecticut (CT)
Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-230): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
Delaware (DE)
Delaware (21 Del. C. § 4114): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
Florida (FL)
Florida (Fla. Stat. § 316.081): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is a traveler ticket.
Georgia (GA)
Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-40 / § 40-6-184): keep right except to pass; impeding in the left lane is a charge.
Hawaii (HI)
Hawaii (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291C-41): keep right except to pass.
Idaho (ID)
Idaho (Idaho Code § 49-630): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.
Illinois (IL)
Illinois (625 ILCS 5/11-701): keep right except to pass; hanging in the left lane is a ticket.
Indiana (IN)
Indiana (Ind. Code § 9-21-5-7): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Iowa (IA)
Iowa (Iowa Code § 321.297): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Kansas (KS)
Kansas (Kan. Stat. § 8-1522): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Kentucky (KY)
Kentucky (KRS § 189.300): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Louisiana (LA)
Louisiana (La. R.S. 32:71): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Maine (ME)
Maine (29-A M.R.S. § 2051): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Maryland (MD)
Maryland (Md. Code, Transp. § 21-301): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
Massachusetts (MA)
Massachusetts (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 89, § 4B): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
Michigan (MI)
Michigan (MCL 257.634): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Minnesota (MN)
Minnesota (Minn. Stat. § 169.18): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Mississippi (MS)
Mississippi (Miss. Code § 63-3-601): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Missouri (MO)
Missouri (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 304.015): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Montana (MT)
Montana (Mont. Code § 61-8-321): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.
Nebraska (NE)
Nebraska (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,131): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Nevada (NV)
Nevada (NRS 484B.200): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.
New Hampshire (NH)
New Hampshire (N.H. Rev. Stat. § 265:16): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
New Jersey (NJ)
New Jersey (N.J.S.A. 39:4-88): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is a famous traveler ticket.
New Mexico (NM)
New Mexico (N.M. Stat. § 66-7-308): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.
New York (NY)
New York (N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1120): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
North Carolina (NC)
North Carolina (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-146): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
North Dakota (ND)
North Dakota (N.D. Cent. Code § 39-10-08): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.
Ohio (OH)
Ohio (Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.25): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Oklahoma (OK)
Oklahoma (47 O.S. § 11-301): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Oregon (OR)
Oregon (Or. Rev. Stat. § 811.315): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
Pennsylvania (PA)
Pennsylvania (75 Pa.C.S. § 3301): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
Rhode Island (RI)
Rhode Island (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-15-2): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
South Carolina (SC)
South Carolina (S.C. Code § 56-5-1810): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
South Dakota (SD)
South Dakota (S.D. Codified Laws § 32-26-1): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.
Tennessee (TN)
Tennessee (Tenn. Code § 55-8-115): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Texas (TX)
Texas (Tex. Transp. Code § 545.051): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Utah (UT)
Utah (Utah Code § 41-6a-701): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.
Vermont (VT)
Vermont (23 V.S.A. § 1031): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Virginia (VA)
Virginia (Va. Code § 46.2-804): keep right except to pass; left-lane hanging is enforced.
Washington (WA)
Washington (RCW 46.61.100): keep right except to pass; left lane for passing — hanging is a ticket.
West Virginia (WV)
West Virginia (W. Va. Code § 17C-7-1): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Wisconsin (WI)
Wisconsin (Wis. Stat. § 346.05): keep right except to pass; slower traffic keep right.
Wyoming (WY)
Wyoming (Wyo. Stat. § 31-5-201): slower traffic keep right; weaker left-lane policing on typical interstate trips.

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Not legal advice. Confirm statutes before you travel. Disclaimer.