Law of the month – Keep right except to pass

The Wisconsin State Patrol is reminding drivers of a law many still fail to recognize.

The July law of the month is that slower traffic must remain in the right lane on interstates and multi-lane highways. The State Patrol says this law is an important step in maintaining a safe and efficient flow of traffic to reduce the risk of tailgating and rear-end crashes.

According to Wisconsin state statute, any vehicle traveling less than the normal speed of traffic, even if that speed is higher than the posted speed limit, should drive in the right lane, except when passing or preparing for a left turn or authorized U-turn.

Another way to describe it is, unless you are passing a vehicle in the right lane, or approaching a left turn or exit, you should be driving in the right lane.

This law doesn’t apply when driving in a city on a multilane roadway.

Exceptions also apply when approaching law enforcement, emergency responders, highway maintenance vehicles and stranded motorists stopped on the right side of the road. Wisconsin’s Move Over Law then supersedes the slower traffic keep left law, providing a safety zone for stopped vehicles by moving over or slowing down for workers with their lights on and disabled vehicles.