AAA: Drivers who camp in the left lane are making Virginia highways more dangerous
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Drivers who linger in the left lane after passing are making Virginia highways less safe for everyone, according to a new poll from AAA.
Why it matters: It's actually against the law in Virginia to travel in the left lane, but that hasn't stopped scores of drivers from doing it every single day.
The big picture: Speeding, tailgating, weaving in and out of lanes, and road rage aren't the only bad driving habits making Virginia highways unsafe, a recent AAA Mid-Atlantic poll of drivers found.
- Slow pokes camping out in the passing lane, or "left lane loafers" as AAA dubbed them, are also making our roadways more dangerous because they create those bad driving situations.
- It's the reason the state passed a left lane law to begin with, and in 2017, made breaking it enforceable with a $100 fine.
Zoom in: AAA's March survey of 639 Virginia drivers found:
- 57% said they "often" witness dangerous driving (like tailgating, aggressive driving and passing on the right) because of slower left-lane drivers.
- 49% reported regularly seeing left lane loafers causing slowdowns or backups.
- 10% said they stayed in the left lane longer to punish other drivers.
- 73% of respondents didn't know (or weren't sure) Virginia had a left lane law.
Threat level: Around 10% of all fatal car crashes in the nation had "improper lane usage, aggressive driving, erratic lane changing and following improperly" as factors, according to The National Safety Council's Injury Facts latest figures, per AAA.
The bottom line: In case it wasn't clear from the state law, good manners or the driver behind you screaming and gesticulating, the left lane is for passing.
- Once you've done it, scooch your 🍑 back over. Otherwise, you're part of the problem.