Can Semi Trucks Drive in the Left Lane in Florida?

If you are new to Florida or a new driver here, you may not have realized that Florida does not allow large commercial semi trucks in the left lanes of certain highways.

As Florida truck accident lawyers, we’ve seen the terrible damage caused by commercial trucks on Florida highways — often because a trucker attempted to change lanes when an automobile was located in a blind spot.

If you have been injured in an accident that involved a large commercial truck in Palm Coast, Flagler County, or elsewhere in Florida, an experienced truck accident lawyer can help you demand full compensation for your injuries. Call (386) 753-3221 for a free consultation today.

Trucks Cannot Travel in the Left Lane on Certain Florida Highways

Florida truck lane restrictions have existed for several decades. For more than 30 years, large commercial trucks — tractor-trailers — have been prohibited from driving in the left lane of Interstate 95 in South Florida. For 20 years, trucks have been restricted from the far left lane on I-75 from the Florida/Georgia border to Florida’s Turnpike.

Currently, commercial truckers in Florida face left-lane restrictions on certain stretches of six-lane interstates, primarily consisting of rural sections of three interstates. Trucks are restricted from driving in the leftmost lane or the inside travel lane, leaving it specifically for automobile traffic.

Here are the current left lane restrictions, according to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT):

Interstate 4

• Kissimmee to Tampa International Airport, 62 miles (Mile Marker 10-72). No trucks in the left lane.
• Tampa International Airport to Osprey, 61 miles (MM 202-263). Trucks with more than six wheels must use the two right lanes.

Interstate 75

• Florida-Georgia border to The Villages, 139 miles (MM 467-328). Trucks with more than six wheels must use the two right lanes.
• Fort Myers to Naples, 25 miles (MM 134-109). No trucks in the left lane.

Interstate 95

• Florida-Georgia border to Jacksonville, 19 miles (MM 382-363). No trucks with three or more axles in the left lane.
• Jacksonville to Indian River, 173 miles (MM 333-160). No trucks with three or more axles in the left lane.
• West Palm Beach to Miami, 84 miles (MM 88-4). No trucks with three or more axles in the left lane.

Florida Turnpike

• Broward/Miami-Dade border to Kendall, 20 miles (MM 19-39). No trucks in the left lane.
• Palmetto Bay to Cutler Bay, 5 miles (MM 11-16). No trucks in the left lane.

Tour buses and recreational vehicles (RVs) are not considered commercial trucks and are allowed to travel in the left or inside travel lanes of these roadways.

Penalties for Driving in the Left Lane

A truck driver’s failure to follow left lane restrictions violates Florida Statute 316.074, Obedience to and required traffic control devices. It is punishable by a fine of at least $120 and 3 points assessed to the driver’s commercial driver’s license (CDL). Accumulating 12 points on a CDL within one year can lead to a 30-day suspension.

Why Trucks Cannot Travel in the Left Lane

Why are tractor-trailers and semi-trucks not allowed to drive in the left lane on some Florida freeways? It’s a safety measure.

Trucks have large blind spots, particularly to the right side of the vehicle, and require much more space than passenger vehicles when changing lanes. When truck drivers don’t travel in the left lane, they don’t need to switch lanes to the right as often. In theory, fewer lane changes mean fewer truck accidents.

The so-called “no-zones” around a truck where truck drivers may be unable to see other smaller vehicles are:

• Driver’s side (left of the vehicle): Under the truck cab’s side-view mirror across the width of the lane to the left
• Passenger side (right of vehicle): Under the truck cab’s side-view mirror across the width of two lanes and 10 feet beyond the length of the trailer
• Ahead of cab: At least 20 feet directly in front of the truck
• Behind the trailer: At least 30 feet directly behind the truck

It has often been said that if you cannot see the truck driver in his or her side mirror, assume that the truck driver cannot see you.

Drivers should pass trucks on the left side for maximum visibility. Keep in mind that large trucks cannot stop as quickly as smaller vehicles. Avoid cutting in front of the truck too soon when passing a truck. Never linger alongside a large truck or bus.

Commercial trucks are equipped with multiple rear- and side-view mirrors and may have electronic blind-spot monitoring systems, which consist of multiple digital cameras mounted to the exterior of the truck to feed images to in-cab monitors.

Late model trucks, as well as passenger cars, may have crash-avoidance technology, such as lane departure warning systems, to monitor driver input and the environment around the vehicle and warn the driver when it detects a potential collision.

Even with advanced safety features, you should keep a truck’s blind spots in mind in traffic, particularly when a truck is changing lanes or turning.

Contact Our Palm Coast Truck Accident Lawyers

If you have been injured in a commercial truck accident on Florida’s roads, you may be entitled to seek compensation if the truck driver’s error or someone else’s negligence caused the accident. In the Palm Coast area of Florida, the truck accident lawyers of Chiumento Law, PLLC, have been helping truck accident victims seek full compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more since 1973.

Contact a truck accident attorney at Chiumento Law to arrange a free legal consultation about your accident and the legal options available to you. If our truck accident law firm can pursue a claim for you, we will do it without charging legal fees unless and until we recover money for you. Reach out today at (386) 445-8900 or fill out our online form.