Missouri is an important link in the nation’s supply chain, with major trucking transportation routes such as I-70 through the Kansas City and St. Louis areas. Large, fully loaded semi-tractor-trailer trucks commonly loom over much smaller vehicles on the roadway, naturally presenting a danger to motorists in standard cars due to the size and weight advantages. When commercial trucks crowd the roadway in Missouri, it’s important for all drivers to understand the state’s laws restricting 18-wheelers and other large trucks to specific travel lanes on major highways. Let our St. Louis truck accident attorney defend you when you were hit by a semi traveling in the wrong lane.
What the Law Says About Truck Lanes In Missouri
Missouri’s traffic laws help protect motorists and support smooth traffic flow with the fewest possible accidents. Under Missouri § 304.705, the law states the following: “In any county with a population of more than one hundred eighty thousand inhabitants that adjoins a county with a charter form of government with a population of more than nine hundred thousand inhabitants, all trucks registered for a gross weight of more than twenty-four thousand pounds …. shall not be driven in the far left lane upon an interstate highway having at least three lanes proceeding in the same direction…” In other words, large commercial trucks traveling through Missouri must not use the far left lane on highways with three or more lanes of traffic.
How Does Restricting Semi Trucks From Left Lanes Help?
Traffic experts agree that prohibiting slower-moving traffic from the left lanes facilitates safer, smoother traffic flow on congested roadways with multiple lanes of moving traffic. Left lane restrictions for semi trucks in Missouri have the following benefits:
- Faster-moving vehicles do not have access to the left lane limited by the presence of large trucks
- The far left lane is primarily a passing lane, requiring speeds that are not safe for large trucks
- Drivers in the left lane can maintain their speed without slowing down for slower-moving traffic, reducing traffic congestion
- Prohibiting trucks from the passing lane helps to minimize excessive lane changing and right-lane passing which puts smaller cars in a truck’s largest blind spot
- It provides room for emergency vehicles
Preventing large trucks from using the left lane helps to reduce overall frustration for drivers trying to pass, minimizes congestion, and helps maintain predictable traffic patterns.
Are There Exceptions to Left-Lane Restrictions for Commercial Trucks?
While keeping semi-trucks and other heavy vehicles in the two right lanes on multi-lane highways encourages smoother traffic flow, there are allowable exceptions to the lane restriction laws in Missouri under some circumstances. Exceptions apply when one of the two right lanes is closed for repairs, maintenance, or due to traffic accidents. Trucks may use the left lane in emergencies when using the lane is reasonable due to the emergency circumstances.
What Happens When Semi-Trucks Violate Lane Restrictions In Missouri?
Using the left lane when prohibited is a traffic violation or infraction which may result in a citation for the driver. Repeated citations may impact a truck driver’s ability to retain their commercial driver’s license (CDL). If a truck driver’s use of the left lane causes dangerous conditions for other drivers, the infraction could become a misdemeanor. Further, truck drivers who use the left lane where prohibited and cause an accident bear liability for the property damage and injury expenses to victims.