State Left-Lane Driver Law Not Expected To Change Tulsa Ticketing

Tulsa Police said they have been swamped with calls about the state's amended left lane law, and they want the public to know they don't anticipate any changes in ticketing within the city limits.

The state law says “a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane except when overtaking and passing another vehicle, other than in situations where traffic conditions or road configurations require the use of the left-hand lane in order to maintain state traffic conditions.”

11/1/2017 Related Story: State's New Left Lane Law Now In Effect

In a statement Thursday, TPD said municipal officers can't write citations for state traffic laws when there is not a municipal ordinance mirroring the same law. The City of Tulsa already has a similar ordinance in place that states:

“Whenever any two-lane street has been divided into marked lanes for traffic, the driver of a vehicle shall drive in the lane nearest the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway when such lane is available for travel, except when overtaking another vehicle or in preparation for a left turn.” 

In a city, there are many conditions that may require the use of the left lane - such as turning left onto another street or into a business parking lot.

In the last three years, drivers have been ticketed 89 times for not following that ordinance.