Left lane drivers common on Palouse

Drivers on the Pullman-Moscow Highway often break the law and may not even realize it.

That is according to local law enforcement when discussing a common occurrence on State Route 270 as well as other multiple-lane highways — motorists traveling in the left lane for extended periods of time.

“It really comes down to the fact that a lot of drivers don’t know it’s a law; they don’t know they’re doing something wrong,” Pullman Police Department Cmdr. Chris Tennant said.

Tennant said this act of “camping” in the left lane is illegal, as the lane is only meant for passing cars on the right.

According to Washington state RCW 46.61.100, “It is a traffic infraction to drive continuously in the left lane of a multilane roadway when it impedes the flow of other traffic.” A similar law took effect in Idaho on July 1.

Some drivers, however, are content to stay in the left lane, causing “a lot of frustration” from the drivers behind them, Tennant said.

He said not every driver is familiar with the rule. When officers do pull over a driver for camping, the driver’s reaction is often confusion.

“Generally, the response we get is, ‘Why are you pulling me over? I’ve done nothing wrong,’ ” he said.

In 2018, the Pullman Police Department gave out 16 warnings and four infractions to drivers. There were 28 warnings given in 2017 along with six infractions issued, and 66 warnings and three infractions in 2016.

Tennant said enforcing the rule can be a difficult task for the department. He said the officer has to be on the road following vehicles long enough to spot when someone is not using the lanes properly.

Washington State Patrol has performed statewide emphasis patrols regarding this issue.

WSP Trooper Jeff Sevigney said the drivers he has pulled over are familiar with the rule, it just was not on their mind when they hit the highway that day.

“For the most part, just like any other violation, they get consumed in their own day and forget they’re on a multi-lane highway,” he said.

Tennant said SR 270 tends to have the most offenders, but he also notices it on U.S. Highway 195 during stretches of road with passing lanes. He said the car in front of the pack does not always stay in the right lane as it should.

“I’ve witnessed numerous times the lead car doesn’t move over,” he said.

Sevigney said it also tends to happen more in urban areas where there is a greater abundance of multi-lane roads. He said one reason the rule exists is to protect drivers in situations where cars are traveling the wrong way. If a driver is heading the wrong way down a multi-lane highway, they are going to be in the left lane of oncoming traffic.

Drivers who are in the passing lane are still prohibited from exceeding the speed limit. However, drivers trying to pass a car on a two-lane highway are allowed to exceed the speed limit within reason.

Anthony Kuipers can be reached at (208) 883-4640, or by email to akuipers@dnews.com.