LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — No one likes getting stuck behind a semitruck while driving down the freeway, but it happens to all of us. Now, one lawmaker is trying to help drivers find some relief, in the form of a new bill.
Right now, this bill is working its way through Lansing, but if passed, the law would make it illegal to pass in the far left lane of traffic, if the freeway is three lanes or more.
Watch Ali's report in the video player below
"I think that's a good law," said Detroiter Christina Snowden. "I avoid semitrucks; we always call them Final Destination."
A game of Final Destination is the last thing any driver wants. However, Christina Snowden isn't alone in the fear of driving near a semi. And for some, it's just the frustration of being stuck in slow traffic.
“I’m upset that these truck drivers keep riding in the fast lane and you cannot get around through traffic," said James Trittschler from Howell.
“Exchange lanes without having a fast heart beat is fine with me," said Shayla Smiler from Detroit.
There's a bill that could help these drivers. It would ban trucks in the far left-hand lane, on a three-lane or more highway. State representative William Bruck is sponsoring the bill.
“It’s a safety concern, because when there is slower traffic in that left lane, it slows down traffic, people begin braking, people begin passing wherever they can, you know on the right on the left in-between, they are just trying to move forward with where they are going," said William Bruck, State Representative for 30th District.
There is already a law on the books in Michigan making it illegal for semi-drivers to drive in the far left lane. This bill would tighten those rules, and make it easier for state troopers to hand out tickets.
There are other states that have similar bans, including Florida, Virginia and Illinois.
“If there’s a truck versus car accident, the truck rarely loses, it’s always that smaller vehicle that gets squished, and people get hurt," Bruck said.
But not everyone agrees; the Owner-Operated Independent Drivers Association has come out with a statement denouncing these laws. The statement reads in part:
"A number of statehouses today are considering lane restrictions for commercial motor vehicles with the assumption that it will reduce congestion and travel delays while also improving safety, pollution, and economic activity. Research has demonstrated, however, that truck lane restrictions are difficult to enforce, accelerate pavement deterioration, create speed differentials, and increase merging conflicts and crashes."
You can read the statement in full at this link.
“That’s multiple billions of dollars that industry is spending on transportation," said Johnathan Paul-Wong, from Novi.
Paul-Wong said he's semi-retired now, but he's also a CDL holder. He told me a law like this in Michigan could hurt the truck drivers.
“Time is money. These gentlemen and ladies on the road make money by the mile, so the quicker they get that done, that’s more money in their pocket," Paul-Wong said.
This bill already passed the State House, but it would still need approval of the State Senate and would eed to be signed into law by Governor Whitmer. Bruck hopes he can get this bill passed into law this year.
