SEATTLE — Driving in the left lane without getting back over could result in a ticket as the Washington State Patrol starts a crackdown Tuesday morning.
The left lane is designed for passing on highways, according to the Washington State Patrol, but many drivers still “camp out,” not letting other drivers get past.
"Anytime that you’re on a highway with two or more lanes in the same direction, the left lane is a passing lane," Trooper J.J. Gundermann explains in a promotional video.
In 2015, state troopers stopped 13,909 left-lane violators statewide.
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Troopers say staying in the left lane is a source of road rage for some drivers and impedes traffic.
The left lane is meant to allow drivers to get around slow-moving traffic.
Those who don’t simply use the left lane for passing, and instead continue to drive in the passing lane, could receive a $136 fine.
Troopers say they do understand that during rush-hour on some highways, there are going to be people in the left lane, but during slower travel times or on less busy roads they expect drivers to keep right.
The emphasis patrol runs from Tuesday to Thursday.
View the Washington State Patrol's video about left lane campers here: