Driver hits guardrail, rolls when Mustang tries to get by

diamondd817 · Jan 1, 2021

ZVar said: ↑

And yet when it's come up in the past, no one has been able to find a law that actually states passing on the right is illegal in any state.
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That's right. Technically not illegal, just a rule of thumb. But should be practiced.

ZVar · Jan 1, 2021

Bud A. said: ↑

Almost all states have laws to the effect of "keep right unless passing." It is permitted generally to pass on the right on multilane highways if the lane ahead is unobstructed. I think it's reasonable to say that in this case, the slow can-hauler was an obstruction for the Mustang.

Here's a list of a summary of all the states' laws:
State "keep right" laws

Here's a sample from Texas:

Sec. 545.057. PASSING TO THE RIGHT. (a) An operator may pass to the right of another vehicle only if conditions permit safely passing to the right and:
(1) the vehicle being passed is making or about to make a left turn; and
(2) the operator is:
(A) on a highway having unobstructed pavement not occupied by parked vehicles and sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles in each direction; or
(B) on a one-way street or on a roadway having traffic restricted to one direction of movement and the roadway is free from obstructions and wide enough for two or more lines of moving vehicles.
(b) An operator may not pass to the right by leaving the main traveled portion of a roadway except as provided by Section 545.058.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Also, generally speaking, if two vehicles are trying to merge into the same lane, the one coming from the right is required to yield to the one coming from the left. It's not supposed to be a contest of who gets there first.

Sec. 545.061. DRIVING ON MULTIPLE-LANE ROADWAY. On a roadway divided into three or more lanes and providing for one-way movement of traffic, an operator entering a lane of traffic from a lane to the right shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle entering the same lane of traffic from a lane to the left.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
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So we have Texas and New Jersey bans it outright.
Connecticut , Massachusetts, is only if it's a 2 lane road.
Rhode Island is only on a two way street.
Colorado and Indiana are a fun one. If you have to pass in the left lane and trucks aren't allowed in the left lane I guess it's illegal to pass at all in Colorado and Indiana with a semi? At least in areas with left lane restrictions....

Thanks for the information.

Trucking in Tennessee · Jan 1, 2021

diamondd817 said: ↑

Passing on the right is illegal also. Drive right pass left. If everyone followed the rules, this #### wouldn't happen.
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Rideandrepair · Jan 3, 2021

The Mustangs definitely at fault. My guess is it’s also a No Trucks in left lane area.

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