Somebody finally opened their eyes to the dangers of having big rigs on all the lanes of a highway huh? All I can say is it is about time. There is nothing worse than being in a sedan and being boxed in on all sides by something that large. It is a law that makes it safer for the truck drivers also. I am sure that they have had to make some pretty quick moves to avoid accidents caused by idiots trying to outrun them. This way, a lane is freed up for cars to safely pass them, truck drivers will have to slow down a bit and I can finally see what is ahead of me on the road besides a “How is this driver driving” sign. It’s all good.

Maybe it’s me. But aren’t the majority of horrific crashes involving semis occuring in the right hand lanes? Usually it has something to do with traffic backing up at an exit (like Six Flags) and it’s the truck barreling along on the right side of the highway that comes over a hill or around a curve and creams a line of cars stopped in traffic. I’m not seeing that prohibiting trucks from the extreme left lane is going to accomplish squat in terms of safety. I’d rather have them over there. If one of them is crowding my tail while I’m in the left hand lane, I can get over out of his way. If I’m stuck in exit traffic gridlock in the right hand lane, I’ve got nowhere to go if I see Truckzilla coming at me.

This reminds me of the concept of having truck only lanes. Sounds good in theory. But unless we’re also going to have truck only entrance and exit ramps, at some point in time that truck has to get onto and off of the highway and that throws him back into the mix with the four-wheelers.

Methinks these laws and legislative proposals do nothing to ensure our saftey. They’re just a gesture to make us feel safe.

Kurt, this is a good one to discuss. Long haul truck drivers are the safest drivers in the United States. They have accidents just like the rest of us drivers, but they are far less frequently at fault.

I WILL NOT EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT on any highway. If I see a truck approaching from behind who wants to pass me, I give way to the driver.

If the speed limit is 55, I drive slightly less. I don’t care how fast the the traffic around me is going.

Just like you, Kurt, truck drivers have deadlines.

As for what lane a truck is on 3 lanes, who cares as long as the driver is adhering to the speed limit.

Incidentally, I have never had a ticket of any kind and have never been in a accident.

I’ve been driving 12 years, and I suppose at times I’ve felt somewhat intimidated by large trucks on the highway, and there have been a few incidents when maybe a trucker didn’t see me in their mirror and may have encroached onto my driving lane. But, honestly, I have never had a close-call with a trucker.

But the new law may be worthwhile, provided those who drive their cars/SUV’s/pickups use the lane only for “passing”. In certain states that’s the law. Maybe is (is?) should be in all 50 states.

As a person who commutes daily on 70, I think this is a great change. To Pat’s point, trucks are dangerous – no matter what lane they are in. It’s a problem with the size disparity. Yes, the drivers a typically better than your average motorist, but a mistake made by one is far more costly.

Anyway, by keeping them out of the left lane, they won’t be causing the speedy people to weave through traffic trying to get around them. The Fast Commuters can stick in the left lane and drive the speed the traffic is going. You see, this law doesn’t just keep the trucks out of the left lane, it helps keep the knuckleheads out of the rest of the lanes.

I have driven a tractor trailer for 22 years now. For the most part I don’t use the left lane. But if I remeber you are supposed to keep right except to pass. So in saying those drivers that chose the left lane aren’t they are in violation not necessarly the truck driver. All in all that is not my complaint with this new law. If I undersood this right they intend on enforcing this right away but they are not going to have sign posted for up to (6) weeks. I am sorry this is just wrong to think that an out of town truck driver is going to be aware of a new MO. law that is not posted.
I live in MO. Am I supposed to look up every new law every day for the states I travel in??

I would be willing to bet this will make absolutely no difference in the accident rate involving semis. None in the left lane means more in the other two (or three or four etc), and since almost all exit and entrance ramps are on the right side that means more trucks in the way of the idiots who fly across the whole highway to make an exit, or (my personal favorite) the clown that tries to pass as many people as possible on a backed up exit and then almost stops in the next lane with their blinker on trying to “merge”.

I appreciate the effort by the lawmakers to make the road safer. But I think more enforcement of the speed limit, heftier fines for speeding, and making points on a license mandatory for moving violations will do more to make the roadway safer for all.

As a side note Kurt, did you see the interesting data on how traffic deaths have gone down as the price of gas went up this spring? Interesting stuff.

I was going east bound on 44 near six flags and i was in the fast lane. It was construction then and it had one of those cement walls right up to the lane which made it a no shoulder situation. I had a truck in the lane right next to me to the right and he came up on me, i didn’t drive into his blind spot. All of the sudden he wants in the fast lane and i had no where to go. I was freaking out. I just pulled close to the wall as i could and laid on the horn. If he didnt see me i would have been crushed

to this day if i pass a truck i fly right by them. I am glad they are designating a lane just for us daily car drivers.

I think it’s a good thing to keep the trucks out of the left lane so all the other idiots on the road who think they’re so important have a place to go. I personally don’t think a lot of the problems are with the trucks, but the people who don’t think about what it takes to stop one!
Just this past weekend, I was on 44 Eastbound and saw someone cut off a truck to get off the highway at 141. The truck had to slam on his breaks and swerved a bit to avoid hitting someone around him. The jerk who cut over so quick must have thought he was too important to slow down and go around or get off at the next exit and go back. Either way, people need to remember that these huge trucks can’t stop on a dime!
Anyway, good step forward, but we have other issues to deal with when making the roads safer.

Where is the state’s plan to resurface the right hand lanes of the interstates?

Forcing trucks into one lane is only going to cause the surface to deteriorate that much quicker. Everything has an unintended consequence. Too bad people don’t apply enough thought to problems before they try to fix things “for the common good”