Saturday afternoon traffic near Berkeley, CA. Image: Minesweeper
If you’re a regular reader of Automotive Addicts, I’ll go out on a limb and say, “you’re not the problem.” You already know that the left lane of a multi-lane highway is for passing and not traffic flow, and you know enough to keep an eye on your rearview mirror for oncoming traffic. Sadly, you’re the exception and not the general rule when it comes to drivers in the U.S., which is why the National Motorists Association has proclaimed June to be “Lane Courtesy Month”.
“Lane Courtesy Month” has a much more pleasant ring about it than “Get the Hell Out of the Left Lane, You Mouth-Breathing-Troglodyte Month,” but the intent is really the same. The NMA hopes to make drivers aware that the left lane of multi-lane highways should be used for passing, and that slower left lane traffic should make way for faster left lane traffic, regardless of speed limits or current speed. This should be obvious, but it bears repeating: when all motorists adhere to the basic principle of keep right, pass left, traffic flows more freely and in a safer manner.
The NMW lists three other benefits for lane courtesy, including:
– Lower chance of accidents: Unobstructed drivers aren’t forced to accelerate, brake or make illegal and risky passes on slower traffic.
– Reduced travel time: Less traffic congestion translates into a faster time from Point A to Point B.
– Less aggravation behind the wheel: Unobstructed driving is less stressful than being stuck behind the cell-phone-addled left lane clot for the duration of your trip.
I’d like to add a fourth benefit, which is reduced likelihood of road rage, often caused by oblivious or inattentive driving. The NMA certainly has their work cut out for them, and I wish the organization the best of luck with getting the word out about “Lane Courtesy Month”. I suspect the drivers most guilty of clogging the left lane have never heard of the NMA, and I’m fairly certain they’re not Automotive Addicts readers, either.
Source: National Motorists Association
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
