SPONSOR:

Sen. Townsend & Rep. Osienski

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 7

REQUESTING THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE DELAWARE STATE POLICE EXAMINE THE ISSUE OF SLOWER TRAFFIC IN THE LEFT HAND LANE AND REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

WHEREAS, research indicates that driving 5 miles per hour slower than the surrounding traffic puts a driver at a greater risk of an accident than going 5 miles per hour faster; and

WHEREAS, a spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic has indicated that slower-moving vehicles in the left lane impede the flow of traffic, increasing the likelihood of accidents and incidents of aggressive driving; and

WHEREAS, in 2012, the 146 th General Assembly passed House Bill No 140, which prohibits a driver from driving below the posted speed limit in the left hand lane of a multilane roadway; and

WHEREAS, between January 2015 and December 2018, the Delaware State Police has issued 116 summons statewide under this law; and

WHEREAS, the issue of slower traffic driving in the left hand lane continues to generate complaints from constituents and news coverage, including articles in The News Journal on June 21 and July 3, 2018; and

WHEREAS, some states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have gone further than current Delaware law and have prohibited vehicles from using the left lane except for passing and turning.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 150 th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the General Assembly requests the Delaware Department of Transportation and Delaware State Police examine the issue of slower traffic in the left hand lane and jointly report to the General Assembly by May 1, 2019, their recommendations.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the recommendations by the Delaware Department of Transportation and Delaware State Police should address the benefits and costs of adopting new traffic laws and installing additional or different signage and should provide an assessment of the current level of enforcement of existing traffic laws.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report from the Delaware Department of Transportation and Delaware State Police be provided to the Secretary of the Senate and Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, for distribution to their respective members, and to the Division of Research’s legislative librarian.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon passage of this Concurrent Resolution, the Secretary of the Senate send copies of this Concurrent Resolution to the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation and the Colonel of the Delaware State Police.

SYNOPSIS

This Concurrent Resolution requests the Delaware Department of Transportation and Delaware State Police examine the issue of slower traffic in the left hand lane and jointly report to the General Assembly by May 1, 2019, their recommendations, if any, for action to address this issue.

Author: Senator Townsend