Rules of the road are changing

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The rules of the road are changing. A new Mississippi State Law could get you stopped by a cop and ticketed.

RELATED: New law cracks down on uninsured drivers

We’ve all been there, caught behind two slow drivers, one in the right lane, the other in the left. This new Mississippi law punishes those lingering in the left, on roads with more than two lanes.

The road signs are clear: slower traffic keep right.

“That’s how it’s supposed to be but sometimes it’s not like that,” one driver said.

That could be because not everyone knows what the law says about lanes.

“The right lane is the slow lane, right,” another driver asked.

“It really seems like they are confused by that,” Starkville Police Sergeant Brooke Carpenter said.

Carpenter said she welcomes the new left lane law. She said she’s seen accidents caused by slower drivers who stay in the passing lane.

There are exceptions to the new law, for people passing, preparing for a left turn, avoiding construction, or a rough road in disrepair.

Those who stay in the left lane for no apparent reason cause plenty of frustration.

“Impeding traffic, slowing traffic, slowing the flow of traffic,” Carpenter said.

Drivers can attest to the frustration.

Now, if they don’t move, they’ll face a fine of up to 50-bucks. Something most drivers WCBI spoke to welcomed.

Carpenter said her department is mainly looking for left-lane drivers impeding traffic. That means if you are in the left lane and have a bunch of cars stuck behind you and encounter an officer, chances are you will get pulled over. The law went into effect Sunday.