NMA Designates June Lane-Courtesy Month

The National Motorists Association (NMA) designated June as Lane-Courtesy Month and is
urging motorists to “Do The RIGHT Thing!” by yielding the left lane to faster-moving
traffic. The NMA notes that failure to yield the left lane. or not taking actions that make
it easy for others to merge into traffic, is often caused by nothing more sinister than
simple inattention and distraction. Excuses for deliberately refusing to accommodate other
drivers include: “The left lane is smoother. If I stay in the left lane the faster traffic
in the right lane doesn’t have to pull out to pass me. I can see better in the left lane.”
And “I’m driving the speed limit, and I shouldn’t have to move over for law breakers.”
According to the NMA, since speed limits do not represent the actual travel speeds on most
highways, a motorist “doing the speed limit” in the left lane may be in serious conflict
with the prevailing traffic. This results in abrupt lane changes, erratic speed changes and
hostility. The motorist seeking to pass in the left lane may be responding to a family or
health emergency. Another possibility is that faster left-lane vehicles are preceding an
emergency vehicle and are seeking an opportunity to merge right. Failure to yield to faster
traffic may also result in a “road rage” incident.