Are You Breaking Michigan’s Left Lane Law Without Knowing It?

Everybody knows that you're a great driver, so this isn't you we're talking about, BUT...let's talk about the people who treat Michigan's left lane like it's their personal scenic cruise. You know who I'm talking about.

The driver who parks themselves in the far-left lane of I-96, going 63 in a 70, sipping on coffee and scrolling through their phone while the rest of us are squeezing our steering wheels, screaming at them to speed up or get out of the way.

Michigan Vehicle Code Section 257.634 Explained

Here's the deal: Michigan does have a left lane law. It's not a rumor, not a suggestion, not some urban myth whispered about at Secretary of State branches. It's written right there in the Michigan Vehicle Code: Section 257.634:

• On roads with two lanes traveling in the same direction, you're supposed to "drive in the extreme right-hand lane" unless you're passing, avoiding an obstruction, or moving over for stalled vehicles on the right-hand shoulder. Period.
  • BUT...if more than two lanes are traveling in the same direction, all lanes are open for travel at any pace
• Violate it? That's a civil infraction, which is Michigan's polite way of saying "You broke the law, now pay up, buddy."

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And yet, despite the law appearing in the books, here we are dodging left-lane squatters like they're potholes in February.

Why Left Lane Driving Frustrates Michigan Motorists

Look, I get it. Nobody thinks they're that driver, but if traffic is stacking up behind you like it's Black Friday at Meijer—guess what—you are exactly that driver. There are those of us who have somewhere to be or are in the midst of a bathroom emergency.

The Bottom Line: Keep Right, Pass Left

So please, on behalf of every Michigander who values their sanity and wants to get somewhere in a reasonable amount of time: keep right, pass left, and let the rest of us get where we're going before the next construction season starts.