ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions and shares tips about the rules of the road, helping Central Florida residents become better drivers by being better educated.
The most recent question was about drivers who frequently change lanes in traffic.
“Although there are a lot of drivers out there that think this way, believe it or not, you are not allowed to just change travel lanes at will,” Montiero said. “We see this so often especially out on multilane roads. An impatient driver in and out of traffic with no due regard for anyone else. They’ll be traveling in the right travel lane and then quickly change lanes to the far left travel lane meanwhile crossing over several other lanes and in between cars.”
[ASK TROOPER STEVE: Submit your traffic-related questions here]
Changing travel lanes may sound so petty but at the end of the day you’re truly changing your direction of travel and mingling with other traffic, this is a big deal, according to Montiero.
A driver must change lanes, one lane at a time. Positive control of a travel lane is required prior to moving into another lane of your choice. Meaning you would have to activate your turning signal, move into the traveling of your choice if it’s clear, hold that position then if you wanted to move into another one go through that process again.
“The idea that you can just swim through traffic as you feel it’s not only illegal but crazy,” Montiero said.
Watch the video above to see what the law says about the constant maneuvers.