NJ Law Gets Tough on Fastlane Slowpokes

We have all been there – coasting on the freeway, a long distance to go and cruising to get there in a reasonable amount of time, when you hit someone going 55MPH in the left-most lane. We didn’t buy a car with a turbocharger or supercharger just to sit behind this inconsiderate person driving 10 miles under the speed limit. Most of us know the left-most lane as the “fast lane” – a lane for drivers to coast at the maximum speed in order to cover longer distances. New Jersey has recently implemented laws that impose heavier fines for these traffic-causing individuals in an effort to keep them to the right.

These are usually referred to as “keep right laws,” and New Jersey isn’t alone in implementing them.  They are notable however in pursuing a crackdown and greater penalties for offenders. Speeding is much easier to enforce and more profitable in ticketing so police officers around the nation usually focus their efforts on ticketing speeders. The people of New Jersey however have made this issue a priority to keep the traffic and road rage caused by slowpokes in check. 

State Senator Donald Norcross (D) has sponsored the bill, telling the Philadelphia Inquirer "Being trapped behind a slower vehicle is one of the biggest triggers for road rage. Some people have told me the fines we're proposing are not high enough. They said, 'It should be execution.’”

He has decided on a softer approach, increasing the minimum penalty from $50 to $100 and the maximum penalty from $100 to $300. The increase in fines may help motivate police to pursue offenders, and thus encourage offenders to move to the right.

 Many offenders are from out of state, so the increased revenue from the tickets will help pay for new signs when crossing state lines warning every one of the keep right laws in effect in New Jersey. I can only hope that this trend will sweep across the nation and that California will also enact similar laws – we all have places to go!