Is it legal to drive slow in the left lane in Missouri and Kansas? What the law says
.JPG "Morning rush hour traffic heads north into Kansas City on Highway 69, near 132nd Street in Overland Park.")
Most drivers have felt the frustration at some point.
Traveling in the left lane to pass slower traffic on the right, you get stuck behind someone driving under the speed limit. Temporarily unable to get by them, you wonder:
Is it legal to drive slow in the left lane?
In Missouri and Kansas, the short answer is no. Laws in both states say drivers should generally only travel in the left lane to pass other vehicles, avoid construction, turn left, allow room for emergency vehicles or other necessities.
It’s a common violation seen by Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Andy Bell. And it’s something the patrol gets a lot of complaints about, he said, especially on major highways like Interstate 70 and Interstate 435.
“You shall — you don’t have a choice — travel in the right lane unless you’re passing someone else,” Bell said. “If the speed limit’s 70 and you come up on someone going 65, turn on your turn signal, merge to the left lane to go around them, turn on your turn signal and merge back to the right lane.”
What does Missouri law say about driving in the left lane?
In Missouri, you should not be driving in the left lane for long, according to a 2010 law. With some exceptions, you should only use the left lane to pass drivers in right lanes.
Missouri statute 304.015 says vehicles should drive on the right half of a roadway except when:
- Passing another vehicle
- Making a left turn
- Right lanes are closed for construction
- Driving on a one-way street.
The rule applies to drivers on all public roads that are large enough, including highways of three or more lanes. There are other exceptions, including when officials are directing traffic or if an emergency vehicle needs to get by.
“We want people to drive in the right lane, we want people to pass in the left lane and we don’t want people to get frustrated or angry with each other just for that reason alone, Bell said. “Road rage is a real thing and people are very impatient with each other.”
What is Kansas law on driving in the passing lane?
Kansas state law says anyone driving slower than the normal traffic speed should stay in the right lane or as far right as possible, unless they are going to turn left.
Traffic must remain to the right on “all roadways of sufficient width,” the law says. As in Missouri, there are a few exceptions:
- You are passing another vehicle
- When something is blocking the right lane
You’re making a left turn
- You are directed to use it by traffic control devices or highway patrol
Vehicles cannot drive at a slow enough speed that disrupts “the normal and reasonable movement of traffic” unless the reduced speed is for safety reasons.
The same rules apply to the far left lane in a three-lane highway in Kansas.
For three-lane roadways that provide two-way traffic, Kansas law states a vehicle can’t drive in the center lane unless passing another vehicle going in the same direction. The center lane can also be used to prepare to make a left turn.
Vehicles like ambulances and police cars with their sirens turned on, Kansas Turnpike Authority vehicles and vehicles performing construction are exempt from this law.
Under state law, officers can warn drivers using the left lane for nonexempt reasons.
The Wichita Eagle’s Lindsay Smith contributed to this report.
