Rules That Keep Traffic Moving

Traffic on Interstate 25 with Pikes Peak in the background

Left lane trolls. Left lane hogs. Call them what you will, they are targets on every social media site.

Along with inciting exasperation – and sometimes rage – they’re a traffic hazard and they’re breaking a decade-old Colorado law. Yet they persist, and the Left Lane or Keep Right Law was the first cited by Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer when asked to name the most common violations of rules of the road.

“A lot of people drive in that lane, and it is made for passing,” he said. “When they do that, people start passing on the right.”

And cutting in and out, and across multiple lanes. And tailgating. All behaviors that make it more dangerous for everyone on the highway.

The law is simple: on any multi-lane highway with a speed limit of 65 mph or more the left lane is for passing only. There are a few exceptions, of course, such as when all lanes are full of slower-moving traffic (i.e., a traffic jam). Violating the rule can earn a driver a ticket with three points and a fine.

Like all traffic laws, claiming ignorance is not a defense. And in the case of the Keep Right Law, it would be a hard sell given the number of roadway signs reminding people to keep right.

Signs in fact are a key measure that the State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Transportation use to ensure drivers are aware of new rules and to remind them of old ones that are broken routinely.

“Signage does help,” Moltrer said, noting that traffic laws are meant to keep traffic flowing and to make the roadways as safe as possible for all users.

Drivers should heed those “reduced speeds ahead” signs that might warn of a school zone, construction zone, a congested area or city traffic. Speeding through some zones can bring a hefty fine.

Moltrer said signs also are used to remind people to buckle up because, despite volumes of research showing that using seat belts saves lives and reduces injuries, many people still fail to “click it.”

“We push this as much as we can,” he said. “Seatbelts keep you in the vehicle and keep you a lot safer. We have a zero tolerance approach – you will get a citation if you’re not wearing a seatbelt.”

Signs, public service announcements and social media also are used to help drivers learn about newly enacted laws. Generally, news laws take effect on January 1 or July 1, so that’s a good time for drivers to watch for news articles about what’s coming.

Some of the newer traffic control measures that still seem to stymie drivers include traffic circles, or roundabouts, and metering. Both have been implemented to help traffic flow more smoothly but require drivers to slow down or stop momentarily.

When approaching a roundabout, drivers must yield to vehicles already in the circle and merge in when there is room to do so. They also should signal when they are leaving the circle, Moltrer said, because it is a turn.

Metering is used primarily on interstate entrance ramps in busy cities, but it also is used on Interstate 70 at the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel. Vehicles are required to come to a stop briefly to regulate the flow of traffic entering the highway to make merging smoother.

Most are two or more lanes, and only one vehicle per lane is permitted to pass through a green light. Trying to sneak in with the car in front is a no-no and can earn a red-light ticket.

Speaking of merging, there are plenty of signs recently urging drivers to “zipper merge” when a lane ends. But it’s clearly a work in progress.

The idea is that when two lanes must merge into one, the vehicles take turns sliding into the lane that continues. But not every driver has learned about taking turns, and other drivers start to cut into the through lane well before the merge point, which slows traffic even more.

While there are no tickets for being unwilling or unable to properly execute a zipper merge, drivers should remember that they are impeding the flow of traffic. And cutting in and out of traffic lanes by using the shoulder or an exit-only lane can result in a ticket.

Most drivers know the standard rules of the road – things like obey speed limits, stop at red lights, use turn signals, yield to oncoming traffic when making a left turn, yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, etc. Some – such as uphill drivers have the right-of-way on mountain roads – might be less familiar.

When you get a driver’s license you agree to adhere to all the rules. If you get caught disobeying them too much you can lose that license.

In reality, you’re in a compact with all the other drivers on the road to follow the rules, share the road and help everyone get to where they’re going safely.

If you need a refresher, there are plenty of online resources about Colorado traffic rules. Here are a few:

Researched and written by Sue McMillin.