New South Carolina Law Could Fine You For Not Driving Fast Enough

If you have ever gotten a speeding ticket, you know the fines are no joke. To avoid getting pulled over, you may drastically slow down if you happen to see a police car even if you're going the speed limit, just as a precaution. A new bill in South Carolina, however, could make drivers pay if they aren't driving fast enough.

Anyone in South Carolina deemed driving too slow in the far left lane on the highway could face a $25 fine if they don't move over for approaching cars, per WLTX. The new "move right" bill was signed into law by Gov. Henry McMaster on May 17, 2015, but takes effect later this month on August 15.

"What we're wanting to remind motorists of, is if you're on a two-lane highway, the left lane is for faster traffic," said South Carolina Highway Patrol Master Trooper David Jones. "If there's a vehicle approaching you from behind that's moving faster than you are, by law you're gonna be required to move over."

The new law aims to keep drivers along South Carolina highways safe.

"What we see is, traffic becomes congested and then other motorists make poor decisions and road rage takes effect and some of those drivers make aggressive maneuvers, then collisions occur," said Jones. "So on our congested roadways, sometimes moving over, allowing traffic to get by, eliminates some of that congestion."

There are exceptions to the new bill, per WIS, including heavy traffic, inclement weather, when exiting the highway using the left lane, or when there are no other vehicles behind the car while in the left lane.