Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB768 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	sb0768
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 768
8	8	R5 4lr2775
9	9	CF HB 298
10	10	By: Senator Folden
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 1, 2024
12	12	Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Vehicle Laws – Lanes of Travel – Slower Traffic and Overtaking and Passing 2
19	19	(Highway Left Lane Safety Act) 3
20	20
21	21	FOR the purpose of expanding to every roadway in the State a requirement that a driver 4
22	22	of a vehicle traveling slower than the general speed of traffic drive the vehicle in the 5
23	23	right–hand lanes under certain circumstances; providing that, on a roadway that has 6
24	24	three or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction with a certain posted 7
25	25	maximum speed limit, the far left lane may be used only for overtaking and passing 8
26	26	another vehicle in a certain manner and under certain circumstances; and generally 9
27	27	relating to driving in the right–hand lanes of roadways and the overtaking and 10
28	28	passing of vehicles in the left–hand lane. 11
29	29
30	30	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
31	31	Article – Transportation 13
32	32	Section 21–301(b) and 21–303 14
33	33	Annotated Code of Maryland 15
34	34	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 16
35	35
36	36	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
37	37	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
38	38
39	39	Article – Transportation 19
40	40
41	41	21–301. 20
42	42
43	43	(b) (1) On every roadway, except while overtaking and passing another vehicle 21
44	44	going in the same direction or when preparing for a lawful left turn, any vehicle going 10 22
45	45	miles per hour or more below the applicable maximum speed limit or, if any existing 23
46	46	conditions reasonably require a speed below that of the applicable maximum, at less than 24
47	47	the normal speed of traffic under these conditions, shall be driven in the right–hand lane 25
48	48	then available for traffic or as close as practicable to the right–hand curb or edge of the 26 2 SENATE BILL 768
49	49
50	50
51	51	roadway. 1
52	52
53	53	(2) (i) [1. In this paragraph the following words have the meanings 2
54	54	indicated. 3
55	55
56	56	2. “Interstate highway” has the meaning stated in § 8–101(j) 4
57	57	of this article. 5
58	58
59	59	3. “Rural area” means an area outside the fixed boundaries 6
60	60	of an urban area as defined under § 8–507 of this article. 7
61	61
62	62	(ii) 1.] On [an interstate highway located in a rural area] EVERY 8
63	63	ROADWAY, a driver of a vehicle traveling slower than the general speed of traffic, if 9
64	64	practicable as determined by the driver, shall drive in the right–hand lane or lanes. 10
65	65
66	66	[2. A. This paragraph establishes the policy of the State 11
67	67	and guidance with respect to the rules of the road. 12
68	68
69	69	B. A person may not be issued a citation for a violation of this 13
70	70	paragraph. 14
71	71
72	72	(iii)] (II) The Administration shall include the requirement under 15
73	73	subparagraph [(ii)] (I) of this paragraph in the State’s driver education curriculum. 16
74	74
75	75	[(iv)] (III) The State Highway Administration shall inform drivers of 17
76	76	the requirement under subparagraph [(ii)] (I) of this paragraph: 18
77	77
78	78	1. By placing and maintaining signs at regular intervals on 19
79	79	appropriate highways; and 20
80	80
81	81	2. Through the dynamic message sign sy stem located 21
82	82	throughout the State. 22
83	83
84	84	21–303. 23
85	85
86	86	(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, this section governs the 24
87	87	overtaking and passing of vehicles going in the same direction. 25
88	88
89	89	(b) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle that is going in the same 26
90	90	direction shall pass to the left of the overtaken vehicle at a safe distance. 27
91	91
92	92	(c) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle that is going in the same 28
93	93	direction, until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle, may not drive any part of [his] THE 29
94	94	DRIVER’S vehicle directly in front of the overtaken vehicle. 30
95	95
96	96	(d) (1) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the 31 SENATE BILL 768 3
97	97
98	98
99	99	driver of an overtaken vehicle, on audible signal, shall give way to the right in favor of the 1
100	100	overtaking vehicle. 2
101	101
102	102	(2) (I) NOTWITHSTANDING PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 3
103	103	ON A ROADWAY THAT HA S THREE OR MORE LANES FOR TR AFFIC MOVING IN THE 4
104	104	SAME DIRECTION AND W ITH A POSTED MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MILES PER 5
105	105	HOUR OR MORE , A DRIVER MAY USE THE FAR LEFT LANE ONLY FOR OVERTAKING 6
106	106	AND PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND , AFTER OVERTAKING AND PASSING THE 7
107	107	OTHER VEHICLE , SHALL RETURN TO THE RIGHT LANE AS SOON A S IT IS REASONABLY 8
108	108	SAFE TO DO SO. 9
109	109
110	110	(II) SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH DO ES NOT APPLY 10
111	111	TO: 11
112	112
113	113	1. A VEHICLE IN THE FAR LEFT LANE PREPARING FOR A 12
114	114	LEFT TURN OR LEFT EX IT; 13
115	115
116	116	2. A VEHICLE IN A HIGH OC CUPANCY VEHICLE LANE IF: 14
117	117
118	118	A. THE HIGH OCCUPANCY VE HICLE LANE IS A SING LE 15
119	119	LANE MOVING IN ONE D IRECTION; AND 16
120	120
121	121	B. THE HIGH OCCUPANCY VE HICLE RESTRICTIONS A RE 17
122	122	IN EFFECT; OR 18
123	123
124	124	3. TRAFFIC CONDITIONS TH AT REQUIRE THE USE O F 19
125	125	ALL ROADWAY LANES . 20
126	126
127	127	(e) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of 21
128	128	an overtaken vehicle, until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle, may not increase 22
129	129	the speed of [his] THE DRIVER’S vehicle. 23
130	130
131	131	(F) A PERSON WHO IS CONVIC TED OF A VIOLATION O F SUBSECTION (D)(2)(I) 24
132	132	OF THIS SECTION IS S UBJECT TO: 25
133	133
134	134	(1) FOR A FIRST OFFENSE , A FINE OF $75; 26
135	135
136	136	(2) FOR A SECOND OFFENSE , A FINE OF $150; AND 27
137	137
138	138	(3) FOR A THIRD OR S UBSEQUENT OFFENSE , A FINE OF $250. 28
139	139
140	140	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 29
141	141	October 1, 2024. 30
142	142
143	143